The economic impact of Hurricane Ida was evident in the most recent initial jobless claims data, which rose to 332,000 for the week ending Sept. 11. … READ MORE >
unemployment
Initial jobless claims fall to 310,000, but expect volatility in the coming weeks
First-time claims for unemployment benefits declined to 310,000 for the week ending Sept. 4, down from 345,000 the week before and well below the 13-week moving average of 377,000. Continuing claims increased to 2.783 million for the week ending Aug. 28. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Job openings set another record at 10.9 million in July
Job openings in the United States reached a record 10.9 million in July, continuing to show that the demand for workers remains strong while employers struggle to fill job vacancies. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: The ‘real’ unemployment rate
When those who are not in the labor force but want a job are included, that rate, which we call the “real” unemployment rate, is closer to 8.4%. … READ MORE >
U.S. August employment report: Delta variant exerts a drag on hiring
Hiring slowed to 235,000 in August, down from a revised gain of 1.053 million jobs in July, as the unemployment rate declined to 5.2%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. … READ MORE >
Jobless claims: After the deluge
First-time jobless claims decreased to 340,000 for the week ending Aug. 28, from an upwardly revised 354,000 the week before, while continuing claims fell to 2.75 million, according to government data released on Thursday. … READ MORE >
August jobs report preview: Expect a hint of delta drag on hiring
We expect an increase in total employment of 600,000 in August with the chance of a stronger number linked to seasonal hiring in education when the jobs report is released on Friday. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Why the Fed is likely to talk about the unemployment gap at Jackson Hole
The focus on economic inequality and how monetary policy can address it is at the core of the Economic Policy Symposium hosted by the Kansas City Fed on Friday. The symposium features the theme of “Macroeconomic Policy in an Uneven Economy.” … READ MORE >
Jobless claims: More noise than signal
First-time jobless claims for the week ending Aug. 21 increased to 353,000 from 349,000 the previous week, which is below the 13-week moving average of 385,200. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: How the “real” unemployment rate affects policy decisions
Even as the Labor Department reported on Friday that the unemployment rate had fallen to 5.4%, it is probably an undercount. That’s not the intention, but instead stems from the long-held methodology of how the Labor Department determines who is in the labor force and who is not. … READ MORE >