Jobless claims declined last week by 7,000 to a seasonally adjusted 340,000, which is near a post-recession low. Meanwhile, the four-week moving average for claims broke through the previous floor and touched a new cyclical low last week. The four-week average slipped to 348,750 on a seasonally adjusted basis—the lowest in five years. That’s a fairly potent clue for expecting that the labor market will continue to grow in the near term.
Daily Archives: March 7, 2013
US Nonfarm Private Payrolls: Feb 2013 Preview
Private nonfarm payrolls are expected to increase by 214,000 in tomorrow’s update from the Labor Department, based on The Capital Spectator’s average econometric forecast. The projection is moderately above January’s gain, and higher than a pair of consensus forecasts.