U.S. jobless claims rise sharply to 6-week high

CNBC ^

[sunmars]

WASHINGTON, Jan 12 (Reuters) - The number of Americans applying for first-time jobless benefits rose last week, a report showed on Thursday, reversing a recent decline and suggesting the labor market remains brittle. Unemployment claims jumped to 399,000 in the first week of 2012, the highest in six weeks, from an upwardly revised 375,000 in the prior week. The four-week average of claims also marched higher to 381,750 from 374,000. The Labor Department report also showed 3.63 million continuing claims, up from 3.61 million. Including the millions of workers receiving benefits under emergency federal programs, some 7.3 million Americans were receiving unemployment benefits as of Dec. 24, the most recent date for which comprehensive figures are available. The U.S. unemployment rate has fallen sharply in recent months and was 8.5 percent December, but some economists worry the drop has been due in part to discouraged workers dropping out of the labor force.

[sunmars]

Shocked, shocked i tell ya.

We knew it.

[WayneS]

What?

All the temporary, holiday-season jobs actually came to an end after the holiday-season was over?

Who could POSSIBLY have predicted that?!

[sunmars]

funny how the media seems to have gone all quiet and buried this jobs report this morning, took donkeys to find the info.

[pfflier]

Wow! The smartest guy in the world occupying the White House and Geitner never figured on this. Temporaries hired for Christmas seasonal shopping are now being laid off. What a shocker.

I'm waiting to hear the new numbers on the MSM. They sure were quick at 8.5% last week

[rockabyebaby]

LMAO, how many times do these fools think we are going to believe that claims and the unemployment rate have gone down? And do they really think we believe that a ton of jobs were created in Dec? Even a halfwit can figure out most of the jobs in Dec are seasonal and come January the job numbers will be “adjusted” “unexpectedly”. Anyone who votes for HUSSEIN this time around, really and truly has to be stupid.

[SueRae]

but but but - the unemployment rate went down???? We popped the champagne corks just last week!!!!!

Everybody, quick...stop celebrating /s/

[Old Retired Army Guy]

Some Pundits were still talking up the fact that it is still under 400,000. Well guess what? Next week, that 399,000 will be revised UPWARD over 400,000.

[sunmars]

i’m awaiting the fanfares and champagne corks and plaudits of “Obama has saved us” like last week...oh wait!

[null and void]

...unexpectedly...

[Deo volente]

[Jeff Chandler]

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[whitedog57]

Ignore the jobless claims. Look at employment to population ratio - it’s stuck on Jimmuh Carter.

http://confoundedinterest.wordpress.com/

Also, retails sales were DOWN more than expected. And consumer debt is UP.

We are repeating the same Austrian debt cycle that got us into this mess.

Look at the charts from Zero Hedge.

[LostInBayport]

"Madame Zelda has moooore scary, unexpected information for you. In February it will be revealed...gasp...that layoffs in January increased the most in retail jobs and courier services! This is...most unexpected! It is not what I typically hear from the spirit world, which is mainly angry voices saying 'that wasn't me voting for that democrat, I was dead'."

[Gator113]

If more folks would quit looking for jobs, we could bring the unemployment rate down to near zero. Now THAT would be an Obama success!

[Joe Brower]

[VRW Conspirator]

bump

[El Cid]

"... It is not what I typically hear from the spirit world, which is mainly angry voices saying 'that wasn't me voting for that democrat, I was dead'."

Hah! That was funny. It would be true, but alas, dead men tell no tales - which is why they provide rich mining for the Demon rats.

[tcrlaf]

“And consumer debt is UP.”

GMAC/Ally credit was buying almost any breathing Credit Criminal in November and December.

To boost Obama’s economic numbers? Without AUTO SALES, both November and December would have been an unhide-able DISASTER.

[GOPsterinMA]

And Food Lion is closing all it’s Florida stores in addition to other moves; add another 4,900 to the count.

http://www.foodlion.com/Corporate/PressRoom/Press_011112

[nhwingut]

funny how the media seems to have gone all quiet and buried this jobs report this morning, took donkeys to find the info.

Exactly. When all the temp Christmas hires were bringing down unemployment claims, Yahoo would place the wire stories on the very top in big bold type.

Today. It's nowhere to be found. You have to dig into Business/Economy etc.

Too predictable.