unemployment rate posts
FeedPosted Apr 3rd 2011 10:10AM by Joseph Lazzaro (RSS feed)
Filed under: Forecasts, Employees, Economic Data
This past week's data point of significance for investors has to be March's job report, which indicated the U.S. economy created a better-than-expected 216,000 jobs, the U.S. Labor Department said.
Also, the U.S. unemployment rate dropped to 8.8% from 8.9%. A Bloomberg survey had expected the economy to create 200,000 jobs in March and the unemployment rate to remain unchanged at 8.9%. Further, job creation totals for February and January were revised higher: February to 194,000 from the initially estimated 192,000 gain; January to 68,000 from 63,000.
Continue reading Ray of Light: March's Jobs Gain Is More Evidence of Healing Labor Market
Posted Mar 30th 2011 12:30PM by Michael Fowlkes (RSS feed)
Filed under: Employees, Economic Data, Workspace, Recession
According to the ADP Employer Services Report, the private sector added 201,000 new jobs in March, basically in-line with 203,000 new jobs that analysts had been expecting to see.
February's figures were revised downwards to 208,000 from a previously estimated 216,000 new jobs.
March's employment gains bring the four-month average of new jobs to 211,000, more than enough to keep the labor track on path. Analysts estimate that the economy needs to add 125,000 new jobs each month in order to keep up with population growth, so any jobs over that figure result in a lower unemployment figures.
Continue reading Labor Market Continues to Show Signs of Improvement
Posted Mar 27th 2011 12:30PM by Trey Thoelcke (RSS feed)
Filed under: Earnings Reports, Forecasts, Family Dollar Stores (FDO), Economic Data
The calendar quarter winds down this week and quarterly reports are due from Apollo Group (APOL), CarMax (KMX), Global Payments (GPN), Krispy Kreme (KKD), Lennar (LEN) and McCormick (MKC). But analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters have high hopes for results from fertilizer and animal feed maker Mosaic (MOS), apparel maker Phillips Van Heusen (PVH) and discount retailer Family Dollar (FDO). So here's a look at what they anticipate from these three companies.
Mosaic
During its fiscal second quarter, Cargill agreed to distribute its stake in Mosaic, and Mosaic also said it would redeem senior notes. Analysts anticipate that the Minnesota-based potash producer will report per-share earnings of $1.07, a jump of 53.3% from the same quarter of last year. Mosaic also is expected to post revenue of $2.4 billion for the three months that ended in February. That's a 35.9% rise from a year earlier.
Continue reading Week in Preview: Mosaic, Family Dollar Earnings and March Unemployment Rate
Posted Mar 5th 2011 3:10PM by Joseph Lazzaro (RSS feed)
Filed under: Good news, Economic Data, Federal Reserve, Recession
This past week's data point of significance for investors has to be the February nonfarm payroll report by the U.S. Department of Labor, which indicated that the U.S. economy created 192,000 jobs last month -- roughly in-line with the consensus estimate.
The good news was complemented by the fact that January's job gain was revised up to 63,000 from 36,000 and December's to 152,000 from 121,000. January's low job tally was probably skewed lower by the winter blizzards and storms that hit the Northeast and Midwest; hence, it's safe to say that the economy is creating jobs. What it needs now is sustained demand to drive GDP growth, which will lead to stronger job growth.
Continue reading Ray of Light: U.S. Private Sector Hiring Increases
Posted Mar 4th 2011 9:40AM by Connie Madon (RSS feed)
Filed under: Economic Data, Headline News
Most of us did not expect a sharp turnaround on the employment front in February. For the better part of two years, we've had painfully slow growth in employment. Then, in February, with many people snowed in for most of the time, things changed dramatically: Nonfarm payrolls increased by a whopping 192,000 and the unemployment rate dropped to 8.9%, as reported in Reuters.
The numbers were impressive. Private sector jobs increased to 222,000, up from 68,000 in January. Private service sector jobs increased to 152,000 from 33,000 in January. Government employment fell by 30,000. The average work week was steady. Hourly earnings rose one penny.
Continue reading Big Surprise! Payrolls Jump By 192,000 as Unemployment Rate Drops
Posted Feb 4th 2011 5:20PM by Connie Madon (RSS feed)
Filed under: Economic Data, Federal Reserve
The jobs number is disappointing at best. Only 36,000 jobs were added in January, according to the Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones news wires had forecast an increase of 136,000. The unemployment rate fell to 9%.
The key reason for such a poor showing was bad weather. However, the December number was increased to 121,000 jobs, from 103,000.
Commenting on the jobs situation, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said: "Until we see a sustained period of stronger job creation, we cannot consider the recovery to be truly established."
Continue reading Economy Adds Only 36,000 Jobs in January
Posted Jan 30th 2011 12:30PM by Trey Thoelcke (RSS feed)
Filed under: Earnings Reports, Forecasts, United Parcel'B' (UPS), Economic Data, Las Vegas Sands (LVS), Federal Reserve
Friday's fourth-quarter GDP numbers offered more evidence that the economy is picking up steam, but one of the biggest obstacles to the recovery remains the stubbornly high unemployment rate. We'll find out whether there's been any movement on that front when employment data for January comes out this week. The Challenger Job-Cut report and ADP employment data are due Wednesday, and the government's unemployment rate on Friday. Another mild increase in jobs is expected, in line with the three-month average, but not enough to significantly reduce the unemployment rate.
Also look for the ISM manufacturing and nonmanufacturing indexes this week, as well as the Chicago PMI and the New York NAPM index. And Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will speak to the National Press Club on Thursday.
Continue reading Week in Preview: January Employment Data, UPS Earnings and More
Posted Jan 7th 2011 11:40AM by Connie Madon (RSS feed)
Filed under: Forecasts, Employees, Market Matters, Economic Data, Federal Reserve, Recession
The Labor Department reported that employers added 103,000 jobs last month. This fell short of the expected 150,000 predicted by economists surveyed by Dow Jones. However, the unemployment rate fell to 9.4%. The November report was revised upward to 71,000 from 39,000, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Earlier in the week ADP reported that private sector jobs rose by 297,000 last month, the strongest gain since ADP began collecting data.
Continue reading Jobs Report Disappoints Despite Lower Unemployment Rate
Posted Jan 7th 2011 8:00AM by Jason Raznick (RSS feed)
Filed under: Before the Bell, International Markets, Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades, Employees, Economic Data, Liz Claiborne (LIZ), Currency

U.S. stock futures are lower this morning as investors await December's payroll report. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 14 points to 11,632.00 and S&P 500 futures fell 2.10 points to 1,268.10. Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 3 points at 2,273.25.
U.S. stock markets closed lower yesterday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down about 26 points.
The December non-farm payroll figures and the latest reading on U.S. unemployment are due today. The payroll data is scheduled to be released at 8:30 a.m. ET. Economists project that 175,000 non-farm jobs were created in December.
Continue reading U.S. Stock Futures Down, All Eyes on Payroll Data
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