Como se combate o populismo? "Com eleições", responde Fukuyama

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ECONOMIC REPORT: U.S. jobless claims rise to 333,000
By Rex Nutting, MarketWatch
Last Update: 8:33 AM ET May 5, 2005

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The number of workers filing for unemployment benefits rose by 11,000 to a seasonally adjusted 333,000 in the week ending April 30, the Labor Department said Thursday.

It's the highest level of initial claims in four weeks.

Economists were expecting initial claims to rise to about 324,000, according to a survey conducted by MarketWatch.

The more-reliable four-week average of new claims dipped by 2,000 to 321,500, the lowest in eight weeks. The four-week average smoothes out distortions caused by one-time events, such as weather, holidays and strikes.

There were no special seasonal factors in this week's report, a Labor Department spokesman said.

Jobless benefits are generally available for 26 weeks to workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own.

Meanwhile, the number of people collecting unemployment checks rose by 38,000 to 2.589 million. The four-week average of continuing claims dropped by about 24,000 to a four-year low of 2.607 million.

The insured unemployment rate - the percentage of covered workers receiving checks -- remained at 2%.

The figures come one day before the Labor Department reports on April nonfarm payrolls. Economists are expecting about 195,000 net new jobs in April, after a disappointing 110,000 in March.

Initial jobless claims averaged about 325,000 per week in April, down from 336,000 in March. But claims represent only one-half of the job creation/destruction equation.

The Federal Reserve boosted short-term interest rates on Tuesday by a quarter percentage point while acknowledging that economic growth had slowed while inflationary pressures mounted. However, the Fed said the labor market was apparently improving gradually.

In a separate report, the Labor Department said productivity increased at a 2.6% annual rate in the first quarter, while unit labor costs increased 2.4%.

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8:30am 05/05/05 U.S. 4-WK AVG. INITIAL CLAIMS DOWN 2,000 TO 321,500
8:30am 05/05/05 U.S. INITIAL JOBLESS CLAIMS UP 11,000 TO 333,000
8:30am 05/05/05 U.S. CONTINUING JOBLESS CLAIMS RISE 38,000 TO 2.6M

8:30am 05/05/05 U.S. Q1 MANUFACTURING PRODUCTIVITY UP 3.9%
8:30am 05/05/05 U.S. PRODUCTIVITY UP 2.5% YEAR-OVER-YEAR
8:30am 05/05/05 U.S. Q1 REAL HOURLY COMPENSATION UP 2.4%
8:30am 05/05/05 U.S. Q1 UNIT LABOR COSTS UP 2.2%
8:30am 05/05/05 U.S. Q1 NONFARM PRODUCTIVITY UP 2.6% VS. 1.9% EXPECTED