U.S. Initial Jobless Claims Rose to 339,000 Last Week

Bloomberg ^ | 03/26/04 | Bloomberg

[Pikamax]

U.S. Initial Jobless Claims Rose to 339,000 Last Week (Update1) March 25 (Bloomberg) -- The number of Americans filing initial claims for jobless benefits totaled 339,000 last week, close to a three-year low, a government report showed.

Applications increased by 1,000 from 338,000 the week before, the Labor Department said in Washington. The previous week's total was the lowest since the week ended Jan. 13, 2001. Filings have averaged 347,250 this year, down from 403,000 for all of 2003.

[LS]

For all of last year, productivity rose 4.4 percent, following a 5 percent gain in 2002, separate Labor Department figures show. That marks the first time since record-keeping began in 1947 that productivity has exceeded 4 percent in consecutive years.

I know many Freepers dislike this stat, but this is the most phenomenal statistic in any of the numbers I've seen in a decade, and it is the TRUE state of the U.S. economy---merely the most productive, inventive people on earth.

[Naspino]

Great -- so I can expect the news babe on the radio to do her usual "Depressing numbers in the job market show jobless claims sharply rising over the last week."

[cripplecreek]

the report i just saw on FOX that claimed that new unemployment claims rose by 1,000 but the 4 week average dropped by 3,000.

[LS]

Probably. It's amazing. If the numbers of jobless claims increase, even though LESS than expectations (a plus, I'd say), the headline is "Jobless Claims Increase." If the numbers actually decrease, but less than expectations, then the headline is "Fall in Claims Worse than Expectations."

The only way Bush can win is to have the economy consistenty BEAT expectations---almost impossible.

[Coop]

I tell you what, I've been to several job fairs within the last 5-6 weeks. They have been loaded with employers searching for multiple full-time positions (very good salaries/benefits, for the most part).

Woe is us. ;-)