Jobless claims climb again in February as monthly average reaches one-year high

[UpInArms]

Source: Marketwatch

The numbers: The number of people who applied for jobless benefits over the last month rose to a one-year high, a possible sign the U.S. labor market might be losing some steam.

The four-week average of new jobless claims climbed by 6,750 last week to 231,750, marking the highest level since the January 2018, the government said Thursday.



Weekly jobless claims, meanwhile, rose by 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 239,000 in the seven days ended Feb. 9, the government said Thursday. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected new claims to fall to 225,000.

The monthly average is viewed as more stable since it smoothens out the weekly gyrations.

The number of people already collecting unemployment benefits, known as continuing claims, increased by 37,000 to 1.77 million. They fell below 2 million almost two years ago and remain near the lowest levels in decades, however.

Read more: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/jobless-claims-climb-again-in-february-chink-in-labor-markets-armor-2019-02-14?mod=bnbh

[PeeJ52]

1. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock...

Huge deficit, stalling stock market, stagnant wages, rising jobless claims... where have we seen this before???

[Iliyah]

2. Well hell, tons of federal workers still have not

received back payments nor full payments. I read where federal contractors are getting screwed. Gawd knows what else since this administration and the GOP lie so much.

[watoos]

3. I always trusted the labor market numbers,

even under Bush and his dad. So why do I find myself not believing the same numbers under Trump?

Guess I have a touch of paranoia.

[DirtEdonE]

4. America's 1% hasn't controlled this much wealth since before the Great Depression

America’s 1% hasn’t controlled this much wealth since before the Great Depression

Published: Aug 5, 2018 10:03 a.m. ET

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/wealth-inequality-in-the-us-is-almost-as-bad-as-it-was-right-before-the-great-depression-2018-07-19

When have we heard that before?

Oh yeah, that's right, during the george w bush administration. And we all know how that ended - in 2008 when bush and paulsen walked in front of the cameras to tell us we were facing another Great Depression.

[IronLionZion]

5. The tax cuts are really killing it

maybe we need more tax cuts to create more jobs

[efhmc]

6. Is there nothing that the agent orange can't ruin?

nt

[Cold War Spook]

7. I am waiting for Trump to tweet.

I am not sure whether he will blame Obama or Clinton.