Jobless Rates Decrease in 37 U.S. States

[ProSense]

Jobless Rates Decrease in 37 U.S. States

By Timothy R. Homan

Unemployment dropped in 37 U.S. states in December, indicating the improvement in the job market is broad based as the economy picks up.

Alabama showed the biggest decrease in joblessness, with its rate falling to 8.1 percent last month from 8.7 percent in November, a report from the Labor Department showed today in Washington. Payrolls increased in 25 states, led by Texas.

Further employment gains put consumers in a better position to boost household spending, the biggest part of the world’s largest economy. U.S. employers added 200,000 workers in December and the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 8.5 percent, the lowest since February 2009, the Labor Department reported on Jan. 6.

“We are probably on the cusp of an important turning point in the labor market,” said Carl Riccadonna, a senior U.S. economist at Deutsch Bank Securities in New York. “Businesses have been straining their workforces to squeeze out more output, but that can’t go on indefinitely. They have to add more workers. This is finally happening.”

- more -

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-24/payrolls-rose-in-25-u-s-states-in-december-while-jobless-rate-fell-in-37.html

[Atman]

1. CEO's have finally given in to the fact that Obama will be re-elected.

They might as well start re-hiring and making more money. Their plan to bring the economy to its knees and thus force out Obama didn't work.

.

[ProSense]

4. Yup,

from the OP:

“Businesses have been straining their workforces to squeeze out more output, but that can’t go on indefinitely. They have to add more workers. This is finally happening.”

Translation: Businesses have been holding the recovery hostage. Add the public sector layoffs by Republican Governors and impede the recovery long enough for the GOP to try to blame Obama.

[OhioChick]

2. A bit deceiving, regarding Ohio anyway....

Unemployment rate in Ohio drops to 8.1% as thousands drop out of work force

Saturday, January 21, 2012, 3:34 AM

Ohio's unemployment rate dropped to 8.1 percent in December, largely because people dropped out of the workforce as they gave up looking for jobs.

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/01/unemployment_rate_in_ohio_drop.html

[snappyturtle]

5. On top of this I also have to wonder how many

more recently hired are way under employed. Yes, there
may be more jobs but...are they life sustaining?

[livetohike]

3. Great news ahead of the state of the union speech....

The media can no longer deny that the economy is improving. Soon someone will have the guts to confront the GOP presidential candidates with that fact.

[zipplewrath]

6. Yup

The news has been on the positive side for the last 3 months or so. Very small improvements, but consistently in the right direction. The numbers are small and could go in the wrong direction very quickly, but if sustained, should work very well for Obama going into the summer. The Euro Debt crisis and the Iranian influence on the price of oil are the two big "risks" he is facing.

[ProSense]

7. Another sign

Truck Tonnage Soars at Strongest Rate Since 1998

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor

December surge sends ATA truck tonnage index up 5.9 percent in 2011

For-hire truck tonnage rose 5.9 percent in 2011, the biggest year-over-year freight gain for trucking since 1998, the American Trucking Associations said Tuesday.

The year ended with a surge in freight, with truck tonnage rising 6.8 percent from November and 10.5 percent from December 2010, according to the ATA. The increase in the seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index underscores the growing strength of U.S. manufacturing and domestic freight in late 2011.

“While I’m not surprised that tonnage increased in December, I am surprised at the magnitude of the gain,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello.

<...>

“Not only did truck tonnage increase due to solid manufacturing output in December, but also from some likely inventory restocking,” Costello said.

- more -

http://www.joc.com/truckload/trucking-scores-best-tonnage-gain-%E2%80%98-1998%E2%80%99

[Scurrilous]

8. K & R

[Johnny2X2X]

9. Good News

Things are improving, and they've been artificially held back with the shenanigans of the Republicans. Once the chains are off watch out, this could be a real big year for the economy. The more and more likely Obama looks like he'll win reelection the bigger the economic recovery we'll see. Look for things to start really humming along by summer.