WASHINGTON: The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell unexpectedly last week, touching a five-and-a-half year low, suggesting a steadily improving labour market.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 19,000 to a seasonally adjusted 326,000, the lowest level since January 2008, the Labour Department said yesterday.
Economists polled by Reuters had expected first-time applications to rise to 345,000 last week.
While claims are extremely volatile in July because of summer auto plant shutdowns, the general tone of the report remained consistent with a pick-up in job gains.
The four-week moving average for new claims, which irons out week-to-week volatility, fell 4,500 to 341,250.
“This suggests the labor market is still expanding. There is no sign that it’s slowing. It might actually be picking up a bit,” said David Sloan, senior economist at 4Cast Inc. in New York
Automakers traditionally close assembly plants for retooling in July, but they have either shortened the shutdown period or completely forgone the closures, throwing off the model that the government uses to adjust the data for seasonal variations.
U.S. Treasury debt prices fell on the claims report, extending earlier losses. U.S. stock index futures were little changed.
Last week’s claims data has no bearing on Friday’s employment report for July. The government’s closely monitored report is expected to show nonfarm payrolls increased 184,000 last month after rising 195,000 in June, according to a Reuters survey of economists.
Reuters
