DOL reports UE Claims at highest 4 week average in 2 months

[papau]

The Department of Labor reported this morning that the number of first-time unemployment claims rose last week by 6,000 to 350,000, showing the labor market still lagging behind the recovering economy. The week before claims declined by 24,000. The four-week unemployment average rose to a two-month high of 354,750.

http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/current.htm

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Feb. 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 350,000, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 344,000. The 4-week moving average was 354,750, an increase of 2,750 from the previous week's revised average of 352,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent for the week ending Feb. 14, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.5 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Feb. 14 was 3,102,000, a decrease of 62,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,164,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,113,250, a decrease of 4,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,117,500.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 327,147 in the week ending Feb. 21, a decrease of 14,281 from the previous week. There were 387,068 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent during the week ending Feb. 14, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,743,681, a decrease of 34,390 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 3.2 percent and the volume was 4,089,902.<snip>

[dave sharman]

1. Unemployment & Unemployment benefit extensions

It would seem that this number exceeds the new jobs that where
supposedly created,Yet unemployment figures say the unemployment rate remains the same 5.6.Whats up with that.LIES LIES LIES.
Unemployment benefit extensions need to be enacted