Weekly filings of new jobless claims continue to drift lower, and that’s encouraging. But oil prices remain elevated and various global risks continue to bubble. That raises the question of whether the falling trend in new filings for unemployment benefits has legs. The recent strength in jobs creation is one reason for answering “yes,” although the fall in new jobless claims is beginning to look weak again.
Daily Archives: April 7, 2011
Measuring Inflation
Economist Mehmet Pasaogullari at the Cleveland Fed reviews inflation from several angles. If nothing else, he offers a timely reminder that there’s more than one way to skin this statistical cat. Inflation comes in a variety of flavors. But while the numbers vary, there’s a common trend afoot, he reports, noting that “all measures of short-term inflation expectations we have looked at show an upward trend since last summer.”