First-time jobless claims, total benefit rolls fall as companies lay off fewer workers

October 15th, 2009 514K new jobless claims, 5th drop in 6 weeks WASHINGTON — The number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for unemployment insurance has fallen to the lowest level since early January, a sign the labor market is slowly improving. The Labor Department said Thursday that first-time claims for jobless benefits dropped to a seasonally-adjusted 514,000 from an upwardly revised 524,000 the previous week.

September 24th, 2009 New jobless claims drop unexpectedly to 530KWASHINGTON — The number of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits fell for the third straight week, evidence that layoffs are continuing to ease in the earliest stages of an economic recovery. The Labor Department said Thursday that initial claims for unemployment insurance dropped to a seasonally adjusted 530,000 from an upwardly revised 551,000 the previous week.

September 10th, 2009 New jobless claims fall more than expected to 550KWASHINGTON — First-time claims for jobless benefits fell more than expected last week, evidence that companies are laying off fewer workers as the economy improves. The Labor Department said Thursday that initial claims for unemployment insurance fell to a seasonally adjusted 550,000 from an upwardly revised 576,000 in the previous week.

September 3rd, 2009 Summary Box: Jobless claims dip less than expectedJOBLESS CLAIMS ELEVATED: The Labor Department said the number of laid-off workers applying for benefits dipped to 570,000 from an upwardly revised 574,000 the previous week. The number of Americans continuing to receive benefits rose unexpectedly to 6.23 million.

August 13th, 2009 New jobless claims rise unexpectedly to 558,000WASHINGTON — The number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits rose unexpectedly last week, while the tally of continuing claims fell. Despite the increase in new claims, they remain below peak levels above 600,000 where they were stuck for most of this year.

August 6th, 2009 Summary Box: Jobless claims drop as layoffs slowWHAT HAPPENED: The government said Thursday that initial jobless claims fell to 550,000 last week from 588,000 the previous week. While still high, new claims have dropped by about 50,000 in the past month.

July 30th, 2009 Jobless claims show downward trend in hopeful signWASHINGTON — The number of newly laid-off workers filing first-time claims for jobless benefits rose last week, the government said, though the increase was mostly due to seasonal distortions. Many economists say new claims, which track layoffs and firings, are trending downward in a modest sign of improvement in the labor market.

July 30th, 2009 New jobless claims rise more than expectedWASHINGTON — The number of newly laid-off workers filing first-time claims for jobless benefits rose last week, the government said, though the increase was mostly due to seasonal distortions. Many economists say new claims, which track layoffs and firings, are trending downward in a modest sign of improvement in the labor market.

July 23rd, 2009 New jobless claims rise to 554K, total rolls fallWASHINGTON — The number of newly laid-off workers seeking jobless benefits rose last week, though the government said its report again was distorted by the timing of auto plant shutdowns. Unemployment insurance claims have declined steadily since the spring, but most private economists and the Federal Reserve expect jobs to remain scarce and the unemployment rate to top 10 percent by year-end.

July 23rd, 2009 Ahead of the Bell: Jobless claimsWASHINGTON — Wall Street economists expect the number of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits fell slightly last week, after two straight increases renewed analysts' concerns about the weak labor market. A Labor Department report is projected to show new unemployment insurance claims fell to a seasonally adjusted 565,000 from 576,000 the previous week, according to economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters.

July 2nd, 2009 Initial and continuing jobless claims fallWASHINGTON — The government says the number of newly laid-off workers filing for unemployment insurance dropped last week, a sign job cuts are easing. The Labor Department said Thursday that initial jobless benefit claims fell by 16,000 to a seasonally adjusted 614,000.

June 25th, 2009 New jobless claims rise unexpectedly to 627KWASHINGTON — The number of people filing new jobless claims jumped unexpectedly last week, and the total unemployment benefit rolls rose to more than 6.7 million. The Labor Department data released Thursday show jobs remain scarce even as the economy shows some signs of recovering from the longest recession since World War II.

June 18th, 2009 Total jobless rolls drop sharply to nearly 6.8MWASHINGTON — The total number of people on the unemployment insurance rolls has dropped for the first time since early January, while first-time claims for benefits rose slightly. The Labor Department says the total unemployment insurance rolls fell by 148,000 to 6.76 million, the largest drop in more than seven years and a sign that layoffs are easing.

June 4th, 2009 Summary Box: Jobless claims dip, but work scarceJOBLESS CLAIMS EASE: The number of newly laid-off workers filing initial claims for unemployment insurance fell Thursday, and so did the total number of people on the jobless benefit rolls. JOBS STILL SCARCE: Still, the drops were small and there is little indication companies are hiring.

June 4th, 2009 Jobless benefit rolls fall, initial claims dipWASHINGTON — The number of people on the unemployment insurance rolls fell slightly for the first time in 20 weeks, while the tally of new jobless claims also dipped, the government said Thursday. The Labor Department report provides a glimmer of good news for job seekers, though both drops were small and the figures remain significantly above the levels associated with a healthy economy.