US job market data present a clouded picture

[OhioChick]

Source: Economic Times India

1 Oct 2007
WASHINGTON: As the economy winds through housing troubles and turmoil in credit markets, the picture emerging from data measuring the health of the job market is clouded.

Firms are showing a reluctance to lay off workers at the same time they are apprehensive about hiring new ones, creating a puzzling picture, economists say. Usually, low layoffs coincide with robust hiring.

“What they are doing is freezing job conditions for the moment. They are not letting anyone go, (and) they are not necessarily hiring anyone until they get a clear picture of where the economy is headed,” said Bernard Baumohl, managing director of The Economic Outlook Group in Princeton Junction, New Jersey.

The mixed signals have left analysts pondering whether the economy is simply slowing or headed toward a recession.

A government report on Thursday showed the number of US workers filing new claims for unemployment aid fell by 15,000 last week, the second straight weekly decline. Analysts had expected the number to rise.


Read more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/International_Business/US_job_market_data_is_all_clouded/articleshow/2417748.cms

---

Hmmm......foreign news reporting a "clouded" job market in the US....

[lovuian]

1. I was at Best Buy on Saturday afternoon and it was empty

everywhere was empty

its Bad

[Deja Q]

2. It's still doing good in my area.

Dunno who is buying, but there were a lot of people there.

[OhioChick]

3. Not Good Here, Either.....

Store parking lots aren't crowded, not to mention homes for sale everywhere.

[onehandle]

4. At the Mall, the Apple Store was packed wall to wall with people.

200+ people.

The rest of the stores were pretty darn empty with associates chatting amongst themselves.

[Dr.Phool]

5. In another month, Florida will be overrun with hordes of Canadians.

Ready to spend those high value Canadian dollars.

[Javaman]

6. Yeah clouded picture. Prediction: mostly rain. nt