BLBG:Jobless Claims Slump as Two U.S. States Upgrade Computer Systems
Jobless claims in the U.S. declined last week to the lowest level since April 2006 as upgrades to computer systems in two states caused those employment agencies to report fewer applications.
First-time claims for unemployment insurance fell by 31,000 to 292,000 in the week ended Sept. 7, which also included the Labor Day holiday, according to Labor Department data released today in Washington. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey called for 330,000 applications. An agency spokesman said that the upgrades played a major role in the drop in claims.
Fewer dismissals would be a precursor to an increase in hiring once demand strengthens and the effects of federal budget reductions become less pronounced. While the pace of job cuts has waned since the end of last year, faster payroll and income growth would help propel the consumer spending that accounts for about 70 percent of the economy.
“The job market is gradually healing,” Ryan Sweet, senior economist at Moody’s Analytics in West Chester, Pennsylvania, said before the report. “It’s not booming and it won’t be booming for another six to nine months. I think the conditions are falling into place for much better job growth. It’s not layoffs that are the problem, it’s the lack of hiring.”
Estimates in the Bloomberg survey of 50 economists ranged from 315,000 to 350,000.
No states estimated jobless claims last week, the Labor Department spokesman said as the report was released to the press. A larger state and a smaller one that retooled their computer networks still provided the Labor Department with applications counts. He also said that the decrease in filings probably didn’t signal a change in labor-market conditions.
Import Prices
Another report from the Labor Department showed the cost of goods imported into the U.S. was unchanged in August. No change in the import-price index followed a 0.1 percent gain in July. The median forecast called for a 0.5 percent advance.
The cost of imported goods minus fuels fell 0.2 percent last month after a 0.4 percent decrease. Prices of autos made overseas fell 0.1 percent. They were down 1 percent in the 12 months ended in August, the biggest year-over-year slump since May 1990.
The four-week moving average of jobless claims, a less volatile measure than the weekly figures, fell to 321,250 last week, the lowest since October 2007, from 328,750.
The number of people continuing to receive jobless benefits dropped by 73,000 to 2.87 million in the week ended Aug. 31. The continuing claims figure does not include the number of Americans receiving extended benefits under federal programs.
Extended Benefits
Those who’ve used up their traditional benefits and are now collecting emergency and extended payments decreased by about 40,000 to 1.46 million in the week ended Aug. 24.
The unemployment rate among people eligible for benefits fell to 2.2 percent in the last week of August, from 2.3 percent.
Thirty-four states and territories reported a decline in claims, while 19 reported an increase. These data are reported with a one-week lag.
Initial jobless claims reflect weekly firings and typically wane before job growth can accelerate. Payrolls expanded by 169,000 workers last month after rising 104,000 in July, Labor Department data showed on Sept. 6. The average over the two months was the smallest since June and July of last year. The jobless rate dropped to 7.3 percent in August, the lowest since December 2008, as workers left the labor force.
Small Businesses
At the same time, the percentage of small-business owners planning to hire more workers rose in August to its highest level since 2007, a National Federation of Independent Business report showed this week. The index climbed to 16 percent from 9 percent the prior month.
Some companies in the health care industry are adding jobs. In Dallas and Park City, Utah, staffing company Supplemental Health Care is partnering with Parkland Health & Hospital Systems to recruit and hire full-time employees, Supplemental said in a Sept. 10 release. In the past 8 months, the staffing company has filled 500 full-time Parkland positions, the release stated.
“As the necessity for qualified healthcare providers increases under the Affordable Care Act, organizations are looking for ways to improve upon current recruiting and hiring practices,” Janet Elkin, chief executive officer for Supplemental, was quoted in the statement.
At the same time, higher mortgage rates are taking a toll on lenders. Bank of America is cutting 2,100 employees and closing 16 offices by Oct. 31, people with knowledge of the plan said. Refinancing activity has declined following a recent climb in mortgage rates that has crimped demand.
Federal Reserve officials, set to meet Sept. 17-18, are watching the job market along with other economic data to determine when to begin scaling back the central bank’s $85 billion in monthly asset purchases. Policy makers in July affirmed a pledge to continue bond buying until they saw signs the outlook for the labor market has “improved substantially.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Jeanna Smialek in Washington at jsmialek1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Chris Wellisz at cwellisz@bloomberg.net
