Jobless claims drop sharply
A Labor Department analyst said weekly claims are volatile during the week between the Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving holidays. A key question is whether claims will remain this low in future weeks.
Unemployment
Articles
State’s unemployment rate drops below 10 percent
Indiana’s unemployment rate in October dipped to 9.9 percent, marking the first time the rate has been below double digits since March.
Jobless claims fall sharply to 4-month low
The U.S. Labor Department said Wednesday that initial claims for jobless aid dropped by 24,000, to a seasonally adjusted 435,000. Many Wall Street economists expected a smaller decrease.
Weak employment report expected Friday
Newly elected members of Congress will get a reminder Friday of the economic challenges they face in January: The jobs report for October is expected to show hiring weak and unemployment still high. The outlook for 2011 isn't much better.
U.S. economy grew anemically in third quarter
The government reported Friday morning that the economy expanded at a 2-percent annual rate in the July-September quarter. It marked a slight improvement from the feeble 1.7-percent growth in the April-June quarter.
State’s jobless rate dips slightly to 10.1 percent
Indiana’s unemployment rate in September was 0.1 percentage point lower than in August and the same as it was the same month last year. But it remains above the national rate of 9.6 percent.
National jobless claims fall, but still elevated
Fewer people applied for unemployment benefits last week, but the drop wasn't enough to reverse a big increase the previous week.
Strategist: U.S. economy picking up pace, slowly
The economy is picking up its pace but not quickly enough to satisfy the public, Fifth Third Bank strategist John Augustine said Friday. It may not return to pre-recession levels until 2017.
Indiana loans for jobless to hit businesses Jan. 1
The state will begin paying millions of dollars in penalties and interest to the federal government next year because it has borrowed nearly $2 billion to pay for jobless benefits.
Applications for jobless benefits rise again
Applications for jobless benefits rose last week for the first time in three weeks, evidence that companies are still reluctant to hire in a slow economy.
Jobless rate holds steady after wave of government layoffs
The nation’s jobless rate has topped 9.5 percent for 14 straight months, the longest stretch since the 1930s.
New grads struggle to put education to work
In May, only one-quarter of 2010 college graduates who applied for a job actually received one, compared with more than half in 2007. About as many college graduates of all ages also are plagued by underemployment, working jobs below their skill level—including Butler grad Tom Otero.
Initial claims for unemployment aid rise again
The rise suggests that jobs remain scarce and some companies are still cutting workers amid sluggish economic growth.
Indiana’s unemployment rate remains flat
The state’s jobless rate in August remained unchanged from the previous month’s figure of 10.2 percent. The loss of seasonal government and manufacturing jobs offset the addition of 3,000 private-sector jobs.
New unemployment claims fall to lowest in 2 months
Still, the economy is barely growing and hiring is slow. Businesses and other private employers added a net total of 67,000 jobs in August, the Labor Department said.
New filings for jobless benefits fall to two-month low
Even with latest decline, new filings for jobless benefits are still much higher than they would be if the economy is healthy.
National unemployment rate back on the rise
Overall, the economy lost 54,000 jobs as 114,000 temporary census positions came to an end. State and local governments shed 10,000 positions. The jobless rate rose to 9.6 percent from 9.5 percent in July.
MARCUS: The highs and lows of unemployment
Indiana’s unemployment rate in July was 10.1 percent—the 12th-highest of the 50 states. Nevada was running at 14.3 percent to lead the nation, while the lowest rate was 3.6 percent, in North Dakota. We’re much closer to the worst than we are to the best.
New jobless claims drop for first time in 4 weeks
However, about 10.1 million people were receiving unemployment checks in the week ended Aug. 7, the latest data available.
That’s up about 260,000 from the previous week.
Indiana, Indy stage small employment gains
Indiana’s unemployment rate increased by a sliver, to 10.2 percent, in July despite increases in jobs in many industries.