Not only are inventories below their historical averages, but buyers are also more credit-worthy – two significant differences from the housing bubble of the years before the Great Recession. … READ MORE >
unemployment
Initial jobless claims imply that ending benefits does not improve employment numbers
First-time claims inched higher by 2,000, to 373,000, for the week ending July 3 from an upwardly revised 371,000 for the week ending June 26, according to the Labor Department. … READ MORE >
June jobs report: Let the good times roll
The U.S. economy generated a robust 850,000 jobs in June while at the same time the unemployment rate advanced to 5.9% amid an increase of 151,602 workers in the labor force, according to government data released Friday. … READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims resume their downward trend, falling to 364,000
Initial jobless claims declined to 364,000 for the week ending June 26, resuming their downward trend following a few weeks of flat to down readings. … READ MORE >
Data deluge: Jobless claims ease to 411,000 as durable goods orders rise 1.1%
First-time jobless claims eased to 411,000 for the week ending June 19, a slight decline from the revised figure of 418,000 for the previous week, according to government data released on Thursday. … READ MORE >
Labor market improvement is not a one-way street: jobless claims increase to 412,000
First-time jobless claims increased to 412,000 for the week ending June 12, from a revised 375,000 previously, the government said on Thursday. However, the top-line increase remains well below the 529,200 13-week moving average within the series, implying that conditions for further improvement remain intact. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Initial jobless claims continue downward trend
Initial jobless claims continued to decelerate for the sixth straight week as the labor market slowly normalizes, according to government data released Thursday. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: April JOLTS data shows tightening in the labor market, but it’s nothing new
The federal government’s job openings and labor turnover data for April, also known as JOLTS, implies that while the labor market has tightened, this is nothing new. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Duration of unemployment suggests patience by the Fed
Among mounting signs of recovery from the pandemic and recession, it’s taking longer for out-of-work members of the labor force to find employment. It now takes almost 30 weeks on average to find a job, with a median of more than 19 weeks. … READ MORE >
May employment report: Job gains accelerate, adding 559,000
The American labor market showed improved signs of life in May, adding 559,000 jobs along with an upward revision that added 27,000 jobs to the April figure, which now stands at 586,000. In many respects, this a Goldilocks number — not too hot and not too cold. … READ MORE >