WASHINGTON — The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose last week, but remained at levels consistent with a strengthening labor market.þþOther data on Thursday showed planned job cuts in November were the lowest in 14 months, with the purge in the oil sector appearing to be slowing. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 269,000 for the week ended Nov.28, the Labor Department said on Thursday.þþIt was the 39th straight week that claims held below 300,000, which is normally associated with a healthy labor market. Claims are near levels last seen in 1973 and there is little room for further declines as the labor market normalizes. The claims data covered the Thanksgiving Day holiday, which can cause volatility in the numbers.þþA Labor Department analyst said there were no special factors influencing the data and only claims for Louisiana had been estimated.þþThe four-week moving average of claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends as it strips out week-to-week volatility, fell 1,750 to 269,250 last week.þþIn a separate report, global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. said U.S.-based firms announced 30,953 job cuts in November. That was the smallest amount since September 2014 and down 39 percent from October. There were 1,355 oil-related job cuts, the fewest since June.þþU.S. financial markets were little moved by the data as investors focused on the European Central Bank's unveiling of further stimulus measures to revive lending and inflation in the euro zone.þþLast week's jobless claims have no bearing on Friday's employment report for November as they fall outside the survey period. According to a Reuters survey of economists, nonfarm payrolls likely increased 200,000 last month after rising 271,000 in October. The unemployment rate is forecast unchanged at a 7-1/2-year low of 5 percent.þþEconomists say that would be enough for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates later this month for the first time in nearly a decade. Fed Chair Janet Yellen suggested on Wednesday that a rate hike was on the table at the Dec. 15-16 meeting.þþYellen could offer more clues on the near-term monetary policy outlook when she speaks to lawmakers later on Thursday.þþThe claims report showed the number of people still receiving benefits after an initial week of aid rose 6,000 to 2.16 million in the week ended Nov. 21.þþThe four-week moving average of the so-called continuing claims fell 2,250 to 2.17 million.þþAfter big declines for much of the year, the pace of improvement in continuing claims appears to have slowed in recent weeks. Economists say this suggested limited scope for the unemployment rate to fall further.
Source: NY Times
