Reply #3: Bloomberg is not worried! :-) [View All]

[papau]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/economy/economies.html

U.S. Initial Jobless Claims Rise by 43,000, Biggest Jump Since March 2002


Jan. 6 (Bloomberg) -- <snip>Even with the jump between Christmas and New Year's, weekly claims averaged 343,000 in 2004, the lowest since 299,000 in 2000. The numbers are in line with expectations that employers created 175,000 jobs last month, making 2004 the best year for payrolls since 1999, according to a Bloomberg News survey in advance of the December report on employment tomorrow. <snip>

Economists expected claims would rise to 331,000, based on the median of 29 forecasts in a Bloomberg News survey, from the 326,000 initially reported for the week earlier. Forecasts ranged from 320,000 to 350,000. <snip>

The number of people continuing to collect state jobless benefits rose to 2.84 million in the week that ended Dec. 25 from 2.78 million a week earlier. <snip>

A report yesterday by the placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said employers announced 1.04 million layoffs last year, 16 percent fewer than in 2003. Still, announced layoffs last month totaled 109,000, the second-highest figure of the year, and up 17 percent from a year earlier.
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