Recent Updates
- Korea: Import & Export Price Indexes (Sep)
- US: Monthly Treasury Statement (Sep), Mfg & Trade Inventories & Sales (Aug), Adv Retail Sales (Sep)
- US: Empire State Mfg Survey (Oct)
- Japan: NCI Economic Activity Index (Oct)
- Turkey: LFS (Jul), Public Finance (Sep); Jordan: CPI (Sep); South Africa: Fuel Sales Volume (Q2); Israel: CPI (Sep)
- Bulgaria: CPI, HICP (Sep); Estonia: Government Finance (Aug)
- more updates...
Economy in Brief
U.S. Government Budget Deficit Deepens to the Largest in Six Years
During FY'18, the federal government ran a 779.0 billion budget versus a 665.8 billion deficit in FY'17...
Empire State Manufacturing Index Increases; Prices Decline
The Empire State Manufacturing Index of General Business Conditions rose to 21.1 in October...
U.S. Business Inventory Accumulation Eases
Total business inventories increased 0.5% (4.2% y/y) during August...
Finland’s Inflation Stays Low -- Mostly
Finland is experiencing three distinct forces on the inflation front...
U.S. Home Affordability Improves M/M
The NAR Composite Index of Home Affordability declined 8.3% y/y during August to 141.2...
by Tom Moeller March 3, 2005
Initial claims for unemployment insurance slipped 1,000 to 310,000 last week and the prior week's moderate rise was lessened. Consensus expectations had been for 315,000 claims.
The four week moving average of initial claims fell to 307,0000 (-13.6% y/y).
Continuing claims for unemployment insurance rose 12,000 and the prior week's decline was lessened to 52,000.
During the last ten years there has been a (negative) 75% correlation between the level of initial claims for unemployment insurance and the monthly change in payroll employment. There has been a (negative) 66% correlation with the level of continuing claims.
The insured rate of unemployment remained at 2.1%.
| Unemployment Insurance (000s) | 02/26/05 | 02/19/05 | Y/Y | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Claims | 310 | 311 | -9.4% | 343 | 402 | 404 |
| Continuing Claims | -- | 2,650 | -15.8% | 2,926 | 3,531 | 3,570 |
