The jobs data is not getting better yet.  This last week’s jobless claims increased by an adjusted 8,000 to 652,000 in the March 21 week.  Last week’s jobless claims were revised to 644,000.  There may be some hope though as the four-week average actually fell last week for the first time in almost 3 months.

The four-week average came in at 649,000, a drop of 1,000 jobless claims.  The continuing jobless claims managed to rise again.  The number of people who are collecting benefits more than a week jumped by another 122,000 to a new high of 5,560,000.

The unemployed have arguably become the largest city of want-to-be workers in America.

Jon C. Ogg
March 26, 2009