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05 Jan 2011 11:23

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Biz: Could unemployment rate drop? Key indicator looks very positive

  • 297k new payrolls among private employers in December, according to payroll processor ADP, which tracks stuff like this
  • 100k new payrolls were expected in the December survey, so this is an extremely positive sign for economic growth
  • eleven straight months of growth for private-sector payrolls … but will unemployment drop? (those numbers will come Friday) source

13 May 2010 11:11

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Biz: Payrolls have increased, but jobless claims are still high; why?

  • People aren’t getting laid off, but jobs aren’t getting created. With a decrease in new jobless claims by less than 4,000 (there were 444,000 new jobless claims this week) against a backdrop of increasing payrolls, many are wondering why job growth isn’t faster. Some are suggesting it’s tied to the high unemployment rate. “There are more jobs being created, but the general trend is that businesses are still reluctant to hire,” said analyst Gary Shilling of A. Gary Shilling & Co. The data show that the issue is more a lack of hiring and not people getting laid off.” source

05 Feb 2010 10:19

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Biz, U.S.: Why the drop in unemployment is less impressive than it seems

  • 9.7% the current jobless rate, a five-month low source
  • Why this seems good After months of hovering over the 10% mark, it seems like (on the surface) we’re finally cutting into the economy’s debilitating factor. Obama has been feeling pressure on this for months now.
  • Why it really isn’t Payrolls still cut by 20,000 despite unemployment, which suggests that some people have stopped looking and are no longer counted. Also, some major industries are struggling, including construction.
  • Some promising signs Despite the job market’s mixed signals, there are signs the worst is over. Workweeks are longer, overtime is going up, more temps are getting work, and average earnings are up too.  source