13:30 - Dados States
Enviado: 10/2/2005 17:498:30am 02/10/05 U.S. CONTINUING JOBLESS CLAIMS UP 47,000 TO 2.74 MLN
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. 4-WEEK AVG INITIAL CLAIMS OFF 16,000 TO 315,500
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. INITIAL JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL TO 4-YEAR LOW
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. INITIAL JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL 13,000 TO 303,000
ECONOMIC REPORT: U.S. jobless claims fall to four-year low
By Rex Nutting, MarketWatch
Last Update: 9:43 AM ET Feb. 10, 2005
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- The number of U.S. workers filing for state unemployment benefits dropped by 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 303,000 in the week ended Feb. 5, the lowest reading for initial claims in more than four years, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
The less-volatile four-week average of claims fell by 16,000 to 315,500, also the lowest in more than four years.
A Labor Department official said there were no special factors, such as weather or holidays, that affected the weekly figures.
"It's a very good report," said Robert Brusca, chief economist for FAO Economics, noting that the trend in claims so far in 2005 is very encouraging. "It may take a while to see what sort of job growth this relates to."
Despite the decline in initial claims, the number of workers continuing to receive benefits rose by 47,000 to a seasonally adjusted 2.737 million in the week ended Jan. 22. The four-week average of continuing claims rose by 22,500 to 2.734 million.
The insured unemployment rate rose to 2.2 percent from 2.1 percent the week earlier.
The jobless claims data show improvement in labor market conditions. Layoffs, as represented by initial claims, have declined about 13 percent over the past year, from about 360,000 a year ago to 315,000 today.
"Layoff activity has clearly slowed markedly," said Marisa DiNatale, an economist for Economy.com, which is forecasting monthly job growth of 134,000 in 2005.
Continuing claims, which give a flavor of the hiring climate, have fallen about 14 percent from 3.17 million a year ago.
The Federal Reserve had been focused on the weak labor market for much of the past four years. But recent comments from Fed officials indicate that they are satisfied with the improvements in job growth and are now focused on inflationary signals in charting U.S. monetary policy.
The Fed is expected to raise its short-term interest rate target to 2.75 percent at the central bank's next policy-setting meeting on March 22.
In a separate report released Thursday, the Commerce Department said the trade deficit declined by 4.9 percent to $56.4 billion in December from November's revised record $59.3 billion.
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8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. DEC TRADE GAP WITH CHINA $14.3 BLN; '04 $162 BLN
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. 2004 TRADE GAP RECORD $617.7 BLN OR 5.3% OF GDP
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. NOV. TRADE GAP REV $59.3 BLN VS $60.3 PREV EST
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. DEC. TRADE GAP NEAR CONSENSUS OF $56.9 BLN
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. DEC. TRADE GAP NARROWS 4.9% TO $56.4 BLN
ECONOMIC REPORT: Trade gap narrows in December But deficit soars to record $617.7 billion in 2004
By Greg Robb, MarketWatch
Last Update: 10:46 AM ET Feb. 10, 2005
WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - The trade deficit improved in December, but the U.S. consumer's appetite for imported goods led to another record trade gap in 2004, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.
In December, the U.S. trade deficit narrowed by 4.9 percent to $56.4 billion.
The narrowing of the trade deficit was in line with the consensus forecast of Wall Street economists, who were expecting a deficit of $56.9 billion.
Economists said the trade data would lead to an upward revision in U.S. Q4 GDP growth. Matt Johnson, chief economist at ThinkEquity Partners, said the trade growth could be revised to 4.0 percent from the initial estimate of 3.3 percent.
The dollar was higher after the trade data was released.
The benchmark 10-year Treasury note yield rose on signs of a stronger economy.
For all of 2004, the U.S. recorded a record trade deficit of $617.7 billion, or 5.3 percent of GDP. This compares with a deficit of $496.5 billion, or 4.5 percent of GDP in 2003.
As expected, Commerce lowered its estimate of the November trade gap to $59.3 billion from the initial estimate of $60.3 billion after Canada announced that a glitch in its data collection led to an under-estimate of imports from the U.S. in the month.
In December, exports rose faster than imports.
Exports of goods and services rose 3.2 percent to a record $100.2 billion. This is the largest monthly increase in exports since July 2004.
The U.S. exported a record amount of industrial supplies, autos and auto parts and consumer goods in December.
Imports of goods and services rose a slim 0.1 percent to a record $156.6 billion.
Imports were held down by a 9.3 percent decline in imported oil in December. The U.S. imported less oil in December and the price of the oil had the largest monthly drop in over a decade.
The U.S. imported 321.1 million barrels of crude oil in December or 10.4 million barrels per day, down from 326.5 million or 10.9 million barrels, in November.
The average price per barrel of oil fell to $36.63 in December from $41.15 in November. This is the largest month to month drop since February 1991.
For all of 2004, the U.S. set record trade gaps with four countries: Canada, Mexico, China and Japan. It also set record annual deficits with the European Union and South and Central America.
The U.S. trade gap with China hit a record $162 billion in 2004, up 30.6 percent from $124.1 billion in 2003. Imports from China rose to $196.7 billion, compared with $152.4 billion in the previous year.
The U.S. imported a record 3.8 billion barrels of crude oil in 2004.
Economists at Merrill Lynch said the dollar's weakness over the past two years will finally have an impact on the trade deficit.
"We find that exports have responded strongly to dollar weakness, while imports have progressed even more strongly, preventing an adjustment in the trade balance. Our model indicates that conditions are ripe for a reversal in this trend, predicting the trade deficit will bottom in the first quarter of 2005," the Merrill Lynch report said.
In a separate report, the Labor Department reported that initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell to a four-year low in the latest week.
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. 4-WEEK AVG INITIAL CLAIMS OFF 16,000 TO 315,500
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. INITIAL JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL TO 4-YEAR LOW
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. INITIAL JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL 13,000 TO 303,000
ECONOMIC REPORT: U.S. jobless claims fall to four-year low
By Rex Nutting, MarketWatch
Last Update: 9:43 AM ET Feb. 10, 2005
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- The number of U.S. workers filing for state unemployment benefits dropped by 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 303,000 in the week ended Feb. 5, the lowest reading for initial claims in more than four years, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
The less-volatile four-week average of claims fell by 16,000 to 315,500, also the lowest in more than four years.
A Labor Department official said there were no special factors, such as weather or holidays, that affected the weekly figures.
"It's a very good report," said Robert Brusca, chief economist for FAO Economics, noting that the trend in claims so far in 2005 is very encouraging. "It may take a while to see what sort of job growth this relates to."
Despite the decline in initial claims, the number of workers continuing to receive benefits rose by 47,000 to a seasonally adjusted 2.737 million in the week ended Jan. 22. The four-week average of continuing claims rose by 22,500 to 2.734 million.
The insured unemployment rate rose to 2.2 percent from 2.1 percent the week earlier.
The jobless claims data show improvement in labor market conditions. Layoffs, as represented by initial claims, have declined about 13 percent over the past year, from about 360,000 a year ago to 315,000 today.
"Layoff activity has clearly slowed markedly," said Marisa DiNatale, an economist for Economy.com, which is forecasting monthly job growth of 134,000 in 2005.
Continuing claims, which give a flavor of the hiring climate, have fallen about 14 percent from 3.17 million a year ago.
The Federal Reserve had been focused on the weak labor market for much of the past four years. But recent comments from Fed officials indicate that they are satisfied with the improvements in job growth and are now focused on inflationary signals in charting U.S. monetary policy.
The Fed is expected to raise its short-term interest rate target to 2.75 percent at the central bank's next policy-setting meeting on March 22.
In a separate report released Thursday, the Commerce Department said the trade deficit declined by 4.9 percent to $56.4 billion in December from November's revised record $59.3 billion.
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8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. DEC TRADE GAP WITH CHINA $14.3 BLN; '04 $162 BLN
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. 2004 TRADE GAP RECORD $617.7 BLN OR 5.3% OF GDP
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. NOV. TRADE GAP REV $59.3 BLN VS $60.3 PREV EST
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. DEC. TRADE GAP NEAR CONSENSUS OF $56.9 BLN
8:30am 02/10/05 U.S. DEC. TRADE GAP NARROWS 4.9% TO $56.4 BLN
ECONOMIC REPORT: Trade gap narrows in December But deficit soars to record $617.7 billion in 2004
By Greg Robb, MarketWatch
Last Update: 10:46 AM ET Feb. 10, 2005
WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - The trade deficit improved in December, but the U.S. consumer's appetite for imported goods led to another record trade gap in 2004, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.
In December, the U.S. trade deficit narrowed by 4.9 percent to $56.4 billion.
The narrowing of the trade deficit was in line with the consensus forecast of Wall Street economists, who were expecting a deficit of $56.9 billion.
Economists said the trade data would lead to an upward revision in U.S. Q4 GDP growth. Matt Johnson, chief economist at ThinkEquity Partners, said the trade growth could be revised to 4.0 percent from the initial estimate of 3.3 percent.
The dollar was higher after the trade data was released.
The benchmark 10-year Treasury note yield rose on signs of a stronger economy.
For all of 2004, the U.S. recorded a record trade deficit of $617.7 billion, or 5.3 percent of GDP. This compares with a deficit of $496.5 billion, or 4.5 percent of GDP in 2003.
As expected, Commerce lowered its estimate of the November trade gap to $59.3 billion from the initial estimate of $60.3 billion after Canada announced that a glitch in its data collection led to an under-estimate of imports from the U.S. in the month.
In December, exports rose faster than imports.
Exports of goods and services rose 3.2 percent to a record $100.2 billion. This is the largest monthly increase in exports since July 2004.
The U.S. exported a record amount of industrial supplies, autos and auto parts and consumer goods in December.
Imports of goods and services rose a slim 0.1 percent to a record $156.6 billion.
Imports were held down by a 9.3 percent decline in imported oil in December. The U.S. imported less oil in December and the price of the oil had the largest monthly drop in over a decade.
The U.S. imported 321.1 million barrels of crude oil in December or 10.4 million barrels per day, down from 326.5 million or 10.9 million barrels, in November.
The average price per barrel of oil fell to $36.63 in December from $41.15 in November. This is the largest month to month drop since February 1991.
For all of 2004, the U.S. set record trade gaps with four countries: Canada, Mexico, China and Japan. It also set record annual deficits with the European Union and South and Central America.
The U.S. trade gap with China hit a record $162 billion in 2004, up 30.6 percent from $124.1 billion in 2003. Imports from China rose to $196.7 billion, compared with $152.4 billion in the previous year.
The U.S. imported a record 3.8 billion barrels of crude oil in 2004.
Economists at Merrill Lynch said the dollar's weakness over the past two years will finally have an impact on the trade deficit.
"We find that exports have responded strongly to dollar weakness, while imports have progressed even more strongly, preventing an adjustment in the trade balance. Our model indicates that conditions are ripe for a reversal in this trend, predicting the trade deficit will bottom in the first quarter of 2005," the Merrill Lynch report said.
In a separate report, the Labor Department reported that initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell to a four-year low in the latest week.