Jobless Claims In U.S. Plunge On Fewer Auto Shutdowns – Bloomberg
Fewer Americans than forecast filed first-time claims for unemployment insurance payments last week, reflecting the volatility of applications during the annual auto-plant retooling period.
Applications for jobless benefits decreased by 26,000 in the week ended July 7 to 350,000, the fewest since March 2008, Labor Department figures showed today. Economists forecast 372,000 claims, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey. Last week’s distortion is likely to unwind slowly over coming weeks, a Labor Department spokesman said as the data was released to the press.
Automakers including Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Co. (F) and Nissan Motor Co. are keeping more plants than normal open during this time of year to fulfill demand and replenish inventories. For that reason, it may take time to determine if the labor market is making any progress.
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Initial Claims In Holiday Shortened Week Drop To 350K From Upward Revised 376K Due To “One-Time Factors” – Zerohedge
First the expected: last week’s 374K in initial claims was revised upward to 376K as is now the norm. Then the unexpected: this week’s initial claims dropped to 350K, well below expectations of 372K, and purely an artifact of the holiday shortened week as this was the biggest miss to expectations since November 2008. Of course, the Not Seasonally Adjusted claims number rising by 70K is very much irrelevant: it is all about statistical smoothing as those who have leaked access to early release BLS data will tell us. Finally, here is what the BLS actually said: “onetime factors such as fewer auto-sector layoffs than normal likely caused the sharp decline.” Continuing claims did miss expectations of 3300K printing at 3304K, and down from a revised 3318K. The market reaction is typical schizophrenia: first risk is up on “better than expected” news, then right back down as the meme spreads that this makes the NEW QE even less realistic. Our condolences to all whose job it is to trade this newsflow. Finally, in the all important cliff category, another 13K fell off extended claims programs, and no longer are eligible for Uncle Sam funded X-Box 360 playtime compensation.
