WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose last week to a five-week high, evidence that the job market remains sluggish.
WASHINGTON — Americans are starting to see some relief from higher gas prices, a change that could revive the economy in the months ahead.
JPMorgan’s surprise $2 billion trading loss prompted a sell-off in financial stocks Friday, with smaller declines across the broader market as investors decided this was more of a problem for investment banks than for other industries.
Late last week and over the weekend, a flurry of developments related to the near and longer term economic outlook took place, most of which could be a cause for concern.
WASHINGTON — U.S. companies in March posted the highest number of job openings in nearly four years, a sign that hiring could strengthen in the coming months after slowing this spring.
WASHINGTON — One month of slower job growth might have been a blip. Two suggest a worrisome trend: The economy may be faltering again.
As quickly as possible people should move to their home’s storm cellar or place themselves in the bathtub with a mattress on top so as to shield themselves from the rapidly approaching economic storm. Or so the message would seem to be, according to many economists, after the Labor Department’s “disappointing” labor market reports last Friday. Fortunately, the stock market was closed for Good Friday observances so the ensuing panic was stalled for a few days.
WASHINGTON — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits fell to a four-year low last week, suggesting employers kept hiring in March at a healthy pace.