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

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ECONOMIC REPORT: U.S. jobless claims fall to 3-month low; Largest decline in initial filings in 2 1/2 years
By Rex Nutting, MarketWatch
Last Update: 8:32 AM ET July 21, 2005

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - First-time filings for U.S. state unemployment benefits dropped by 34,000 to a seasonally adjusted 303,000 last week, the lowest level in three months, the Labor Department said Thursday.

It's the largest decline since December 2002.

Wall Street economists were expecting claims to fall to about 325,000, according to the MarketWatch survey.

The four-week average of new claims - which smoothes out one-time events that can distort the weekly figures - dropped by 3,250 to a four-month low of 318,000 in the week ending July 16. Economists say the four-week average provides a more accurate snapshot of the labor market.

In the latest week, there were no special factors that influenced the data, such as holidays, weather or seasonal plant closings, a Labor Department spokesman said.

In the previous week, auto plant closings had boosted initial claims by 16,000 to 337,000.

The number of people receiving unemployment checks fell by 41,000 to 2.577 million in the week ending July 9. The four-week average of continuing claims dropped by 4,750 to 2.591 million, a six-week low.

The insured unemployment rate - the percentage of all covered workers who are receiving benefits - decreased by a tenth to 2%.

The latest data coincide with the week of the monthly survey the Labor Department uses to construct the monthly employment figures. In June, nonfarm payrolls grew by a tepid 146,000, while the jobless rate fell to a cycle low of 5%.

In the survey week in June, initial claims totaled 316,000, while continuing claims were at 2.597 million.

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

The level of initial jobless claims has fallen by about 6% in the past year. A year ago, claims were averaging about 340,000.

Economists say initial claims in the range of 300,000 to 340,000 are consistent with nonfarm payroll growth of about 150,000 to 200,000 per month, strong enough to absorb new entrants into the workforce and gradually reduce the unemployment rate.

Most analysts don't forecast any further declines in the jobless rate, although steady hiring should pull some discouraged workers back into the labor force.





Entretanto a evacuação das 3 estações de metro em Londreslá veio dar uma volatilidade estranha aos mercados nesta última hora...vamos ver a continuação disto

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8:29am 07/21/05 LARGEST DECLINE IN JOBLESS CLAIMS IN 2 1/2 YEARS

8:29am 07/21/05 U.S. INITIAL JOBLESS CLAIMS AT 3-MONTH LOW

8:29am 07/21/05 U.S. CONTINUING JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL 41,000 TO 2.58M

8:29am 07/21/05 U.S. 4-WK AVG INITIAL CLAIMS FALL 3,250 TO 318,000

8:29am 07/21/05 U.S. INITIAL JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL 34,000 TO 303,000