U.S. jobless claims climb to highest level in a year
Analysts say the increase is more likely a result of Hurricane Helene—and the Boeing machinist strike—than a broader softening in the labor market.
Unemployment
-
2022 Year in Review: A year of ups, downs and uncertainty
The stock market dropped in 2022. So did the unemployment rate. Except in Indiana, where in both cases, the numbers crept up.
Read More -
IBJ Podcast: Indiana’s workforce leader talks unemployment, labor markets and minimum wage
Host Mason King talks with Fred Payne, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, about what the state is doing to help more Hoosiers find jobs and more companies find workers.
Read More -
The pandemic: One crisis, countless journeys
The pandemic hit Indiana one year ago, packing an emotional and financial wallop. Read the stories of 11 Hoosiers to see how they have navigated the choppy waters in business, in life and in loss.
Read More -
Indiana ‘missed big’ by not adopting work share, report says
Researchers who have studied work-share programs—which have been implemented in 28 states—say thousands of Indiana workers have been unnecessarily laid off.
Read More
Articles
U.S. adds robust 254,000 jobs as unemployment dips to 4.1%
Given Friday’s stronger-than-expected hiring report, economists say the Fed will almost certainly cut its benchmark rate in November by a modest quarter-point, after its larger-than-usual half-point reduction in September.
Weekly applications for jobless benefits fall to the lowest level in 4 months
Weekly filings for unemployment benefits, considered largely representative of layoffs, had risen moderately since May before this week’s decline.
U.S. added just 114,000 jobs in July; unemployment rate rises to 4.3%
Friday’s report from the Labor Department showed that employers added 35% fewer jobs than forecasters had expected and the unemployment rate hit its highest level since October 2021.
Number of Americans filing for jobless claims hits highest level in a year
The four-week average for continuing claims rose to 1,857,000, the most since December 2021.
U.S. employers added 206,000 jobs in June in sign of continued economic strength
The unemployment rate ticked up from 4% to 4.1%, a still-low number but the highest rate since November 2021.
Number of Americans filing for jobless benefits jumps to highest level in 10 months
Though this week’s number seems relatively high, it’s still within a range that reflects a healthy labor market.
Employers added 175,000 jobs in April as labor market growth slowed
After a miniboom that powered the first quarter of 2024, the labor market cooled in April, reflecting job growth that looked more like the latter half of 2023. April’s job gains were the smallest reported since October.
Applications for jobless benefits fall to lowest level since September 2022
The job market has remained surprisingly resilient, with the unemployment rate staying below 4% for 23 straight months, the longest such streak since the 1960s.
U.S. initial jobless claims rise to 218,000, more than estimated
The four-week moving average, which offers a clearer picture of the trend, was little changed at 212,000 last week, the lowest since late October.
U.S. labor market defies slowdown forecasts in broad strengthening
The acceleration in payrolls is at odds with recent reports that have depicted a softer hiring pace, an outcome favored by the Fed as it will help rein in demand and tame price pressures.
U.S. unemployment claims drop in another sign of labor market resiliency
The claims are viewed as a proxy for layoffs and remain extraordinarily low by historical standards, signalling that most Americans enjoy unusual job security.
Applications for jobless benefits fall to lowest level in more than 8 months
Businesses continue to retain workers despite elevated interest rates meant to cool the economy and labor market.
U.S. job openings rose in August, defying expectations
The U.S. labor market remains strong despite higher interest rates—perhaps too strong for the inflation fighters at the Federal Reserve.
U.S. employers added 187,000 jobs in August
Last month’s job growth marked an increase from July’s revised gain of 157,000, but still pointed to a moderating pace of hiring compared with the sizzling gains of last year and earlier this year.
U.S. jobless claims fall as labor market shows resiliency
Economists say that given the difficulties in finding workers during the past two years, businesses will likely hold onto them as long as possible, even if the economy weakens.
U.S. employers added fewer-than-expected 187,000 jobs in July
Despite the influx of workers, average hourly wages rose 0.4% from June and 4.4% from a year earlier—numbers that were hotter than expected and are likely to worry the Federal Reserve.
Weekly applications for U.S. jobless aid tick up from 5-month low
While some industries—such as manufacturing, warehousing, and retail—have slowed their hiring in recent months, they aren’t yet cutting jobs in large numbers.
Weekly applications for jobless benefits slide to lowest level in 5 months
Despite the fastest interest rate hikes since 1989, the unemployment rate has hardly budged, remaining at a historically low 3.6%.
U.S. job openings dip, but remain high, showing resilience in labor market
U.S. employers have added a strong 314,000 jobs a month this year, and at 3.7% in May, the unemployment rate is not far off a half-century low.