Initial jobless claims dropped again last week, slipping 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 348,000, the Labor Department reports. That’s the lowest number of new filings for unemployment benefits since March 2008. The trend, in other words, is still sending a strong signal that the labor market recovery—and economic growth—will roll on.
Daily Archives: February 16, 2012
Expecting More From Housing
Last week I wondered if the housing sector had finally hit bottom. There’s a good case for arguing “yes,” although the bigger question is whether housing will be a contributor to overall economic growth? That’s still a mystery in terms of timing, but the odds are looking better for the optimistic outlook is increasingly relevant. Perhaps we’ll find some fresh clues in the update for January’s housing starts, scheduled for release later this morning. The consensus forecast calls for a moderate increase over December, according to Briefing.com.