Share
News

Applications for US Jobless Aid Fell Signaling a Strong Job Market

Share

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits dropped sharply last week, a sign that layoffs are rare and the job market is strong.

The Labor Department says weekly applications for jobless aid fell 19,000 to 234,000, a low level that indicates businesses are holding onto their employees.

Applications are a proxy for layoffs.

The four-week average, a less volatile figure, rose to 224,750.

Businesses are hiring at a healthy pace that has surprised economists, who expected job gains would slow as the number of unemployed dwindled.

The jobless rate stood at just 4 percent last month, when employers added 304,000 jobs, the most in nearly a year.

With labor scarce, many companies are reluctant to let workers go, likely because they fear it will be hard to replace them.

In its 10th year of expansion, the economy faces an unusual number of headwinds.

But so far, employers have largely shrugged them off.

The 35-day partial government shutdown likely sliced growth in the first quarter by roughly 0.3 percentage points at an annual rate, economists say.

Other challenges loom: Slowing growth in Europe and China is weighing on U.S. exports. And an ongoing trade fight with China could also ding the U.S. economy.

Many economic reports are still delayed because of the shutdown, making it difficult to gauge the impact of these trends.

The first estimate of the economy’s growth in the final three months of last year won’t be released until the end of this month, nearly 30 days later than scheduled.

The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, ,
Share
The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.
Location
New York City




Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.

Conversation