Japan jobless rate up, household spending down in March

October 4th, 2009 Greenspan: Jobless rate likely to pass 10 percentWASHINGTON — Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan predicts that the unemployment rate will push past 10 percent and stay at that level for a while. "Pretty awful" is how Greenspan describes Friday's report that the unemployment rate has risen to 9.8 percent.

October 2nd, 2009 Japan jobless rate falls to 5.5 percent in AugustTOKYO — Japan's jobless rate fell and household spending climbed in August — a double dose of good news for the world's No. 2 economy though it may not last.

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 19th, 2009 Michigan jobless rate dips slightly to 15 percentLANSING, Mich. — Michigan's monthly unemployment rate has dropped for the first time in more than a year.

July 31st, 2009 Japan jobless rate climbs to 6-year high in JuneTOKYO — Japan's unemployment rate rose to a six-year high and prices fell at a record pace in June, the government said Friday. The jobless rate in the world's second-biggest economy worsened to 5.4 percent from 5.2 percent in May, suggesting that an emerging recovery for companies has yet to filter down to workers and families.

June 30th, 2009 Japan unemployment rises to 5.2 percent in MayTOKYO — Japanese companies may be starting to boost production, but they certainly aren't hiring yet. The country's unemployment rate rose to 5.2 percent in May, the highest in five and a half years, the government said Tuesday.

June 30th, 2009 Japan unemployment rises to 5 1/2-year highTOKYO — Japan's jobless rate rose to a five-and-a-half year high in May, the government said Tuesday, possibly delaying a recovery for the world's second-largest economy even as manufacturers enjoy a nascent rebound. The unemployment rate jumped to 5.2 percent from 5 percent in April as the number of jobless rose to nearly 3.5 million.

June 1st, 2009 Japan new auto sales down 19 percent in MayTOKYO — Domestic sales of Japanese vehicles fell for the tenth straight month in May, an industry group said Monday, as the recession led to increasingly cautious consumers. New sales of cars, trucks and buses dropped 19.4 percent from a year earlier to 178,503 units, according to the Japan Automobile Dealers' Association.

May 9th, 2009 Poland's jobless rate down to 11 percent in AprilWARSAW, Poland — Poland's jobless rate dropped to 11 percent in April from 11.2 percent the month before, according to government statistics released Friday. Labor Minister Jolanta Fedak said some 1.72 million people in the country of 38 million were without a job at the end of April — 28,000 less than the previous month.

May 8th, 2009 Layoffs slow to 539K in April; jobless rate risesWASHINGTON — The pace of layoffs slowed in April, with employers cutting 539,000 jobs, the fewest in six months. But the unemployment rate climbed to 8.9 percent as many businesses remained wary of hiring given all the economic and financial uncertainties.

May 1st, 2009 Japan's jobless rate up, household spending downTOKYO — Japan's jobless rate jumped to its highest in more than four years in March and household spending extended its slide, underscoring the ongoing pain for the world's second-biggest economy. Prices also fell, fueling concerns about deflation.

April 30th, 2009 Treasurys mixed after data on jobless claimsNEW YORK — Treasurys ended mixed Thursday after data showed a surprise decline in jobless claims but also a drop in personal spending. In a positive sign for the economy, the Labor Department said initial jobless claims fell by 14,000 last week to 631,000.

April 30th, 2009 Euro jobless rate surges, inflation stableBRUSSELS — The jobless rate in the 16 nations that use the euro surged to 8.9 percent in March, the highest level in nearly five years, the EU statistics office said Thursday. Unemployment is rising steeply despite recently higher business and consumer optimism about their recession-hit economy.

April 27th, 2009 Polish jobless rate rises to 11.2 percent in MarchWARSAW, Poland — Poland's jobless rate rose to 11.2 percent in March from 10.9 percent the previous month, according to government statistics released Monday. The Central Statistical Office said that almost 1.76 million people in the country of 38 million were unemployed at the end of March — an increase of 40,000 compared with the previous month.

April 22nd, 2009 Taiwan's jobless rate hits record high of 5.8 pctTAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan's jobless rate hit a record high of 5.8 percent in March, rising for the eleventh straight month amid an economic slump, the government said Wednesday. The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics said in a statement the number of unemployed workers rose to 630,000 from 624,000 in February with the increase coming from company closures and layoffs.