♦♦♦
United States Department of Labor: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report
USA Weekly Unemployment Claims at 3 Week High
Official Statement The Department of Labor reported, "In the week ending Sept. 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 465,000, an increase of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 453,000. The 4-week moving average was 463,250, a decrease of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 466,500. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.5 percent for the week ending Sept. 11, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.6 percent."
Cycle History Weekly unemployment claims for the week ended September 18, 2010 are down -186,000 and -28.6% from the Great Recession peak of 651,000 for the week ended March 28, 2009. The current unemployment claims are up +38,000 and +8.9% from the subsequent low of 427,000 for the week ended July 10, 2010. Therefore, current claims are closer to the cycle bottom than the peak.
Trend This is the first increase (+12,000) in weekly unemployment claims since the 2010 peak of 504,000 for the week ending August 14 (5 weeks ago). The current claims of 465,000 are above the 4-week moving average of 463,250, and also below the 13-week and 52-week moving averages of 468,692 and 475,346. The current claims are above the 26-week moving average of 464,231. Weekly claims had previously remained below the 4-week moving average since the 2010 peak of 504,0000 for the week endied August 14 through September 11. Therefore, weekly unemployment claims are mostly trendless recently and within a range with a peak of 504,000 and trough of 427,000.
Chart (4-Week Moving Average) The chart below shows the 4-week moving average for the last 52 weeks (1 year) of weekly total unemployment claims, from the week ended September 26, 2009 through the latest week reported, September 18, 2010. The 4-week moving average is considered a better, smoother metric. The 4-week moving average dropped significantly to reach a first low of 462,500 for the week ended January 9, 2010. After an increase, another low was set of 448,000 for the week ended March 27. This has been the Great Recession cyclical low to-date.
Chart (Weekly Unemployment Claims) The chart below shows the total weekly unemployment claims for the last 52 weeks (1 year) from the week ended September 26, 2009 through the latest week reported, September 18, 2010. A general decline in claims is indicated, with a recent peak of 504,000 reached for the week ended August 14, 2010 and a Great Recession low of 427,000 reached for the week ended July 10, 2010 which has been the cyclical low to-date.
Commentary The 4-week moving average has now decreased 4 consecutive weeks from the 2010 peak of 488,000 for the week ended August 21, which is encouraging. Weekly claims, after reaching a peak of 504,000 (which was the first time greater than 500,000 since the week ended November 14, 2009) claims have become trendless - staying within a range with a peak of 504,000 and trough of 427,000. Obviously claims at the 500,000 level is a benchmark, as is the 400,000 level. Weekly claims have not been below 400,000 for over 2 years, since the week ended July 12, 2008 claims of 385,000. Weekly claims first dropped below 500,000 in this Great Recession Cycle for the week ended November 21, 2009 at 477,000. So recent weekly claims have been in this range since November 21, 2009 with only one exception. Claims over 500,000 clearly indicate GDP growth is slowing, if not stalling, while claims less than 400,000 indicate a decent economic recovery is underway. Hence the uncertainty over the pace of the USA economic recovery.
Related Articles and Links
>>>>>Recent Posts by Financial Controls<<<<<
Federal Reserve: Pace of Economic Recovery Likely to be Modest in Near Term (Review)
Bank Failure Friday: FDIC Closes 6 Banks *YTD total now 125*
Fed Beige Book: USA Economic Growth at Modest Pace (Review)
Fed Chair Bernanke: Pace of Economic Recovery Has Slowed Somewhat (Review)
Fed Chair Bernanke: Moderate Recovery, Outlook "Unusually Uncertain" (Review)
>>>>>Recent Posts by Boom Doom Economy<<<<<
Global Services PMI at 6 Month Low (Chart) *Growing at Slower Rate in August*
USA Consumer Sentiment Drops to 13 Month Low (Chart)
USA Weekly Leading Index at 14 Week High (Charts)
USA Monthly Sales for Retail & Food Services Up +0.4% in August (Chart)
USA Total Consumer Credit Decreases in July (Charts)
USA Weekly Leading Index Rises to 4-Week High (Charts)
USA Non-Manufacturing Index (NMI) Contracts -2.8% in August (Chart)
USA Unemployment Rate Edges Up To 9.6% In August (Charts)
USA Manufacturing PMI Expands in August +0.8% (Chart)
USA Q2 GDP Revised Downward to 1.6% (Chart)
>>>>>Recent Posts by Matrix Markets<<<<<
S&P 500 Rallies Above 200 Day Moving Average (Charts) *Remains in summer trading range*
>>>>>Other Links<<<<<
Department of Labor DOL
Follow Boom Doom Economy on Twitter!
♦♦♦
No comments:
Post a Comment