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Enviado: 6/11/2003 14:52U.S. jobless claims fall to pre-recession level
WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - The number of new claims for state unemployment benefits fell to the lowest level since the recession began more than two and a half years ago, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
The average weekly number of seasonally adjusted new claims over the past four weeks fell by 10,000 to 380,000, the lowest since the week of March 10, 2001, the month the nine-month recession began.
The number of new claims in the most recent week ending Nov. 1 plunged by 43,000 to 348,000, the lowest since the week George W. Bush was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2001.
The average number of continuing claims for state unemployment benefits over the past four weeks fell by about 25,000 to 3.54 million, the lowest since April.
U.S. Q3 productivity up 8.1%
WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - Productivity of the U.S. non-farm business sector surged at an 8.1 percent annual rate in the third quarter, the Labor Department estimated Thursday.
It was the biggest increase in six quarters, but it failed to match expectations of Wall Street economists, who were forecasting, on average, a gain of 8.7 percent.
Productivity rose a revised 7.0 percent in the second quarter, up from the 6.8 percent estimated two months ago.
Unit labor costs fell 4.6 percent.
Output in the non-farm business sector rose 8.8 percent, the most since 1992.
Hours worked rose 0.7 percent.
Unit non-labor costs, including profits, rose 11.6 percent.
Real hourly compensation rose 0.8 percent.
WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - The number of new claims for state unemployment benefits fell to the lowest level since the recession began more than two and a half years ago, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
The average weekly number of seasonally adjusted new claims over the past four weeks fell by 10,000 to 380,000, the lowest since the week of March 10, 2001, the month the nine-month recession began.
The number of new claims in the most recent week ending Nov. 1 plunged by 43,000 to 348,000, the lowest since the week George W. Bush was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2001.
The average number of continuing claims for state unemployment benefits over the past four weeks fell by about 25,000 to 3.54 million, the lowest since April.
U.S. Q3 productivity up 8.1%
WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - Productivity of the U.S. non-farm business sector surged at an 8.1 percent annual rate in the third quarter, the Labor Department estimated Thursday.
It was the biggest increase in six quarters, but it failed to match expectations of Wall Street economists, who were forecasting, on average, a gain of 8.7 percent.
Productivity rose a revised 7.0 percent in the second quarter, up from the 6.8 percent estimated two months ago.
Unit labor costs fell 4.6 percent.
Output in the non-farm business sector rose 8.8 percent, the most since 1992.
Hours worked rose 0.7 percent.
Unit non-labor costs, including profits, rose 11.6 percent.
Real hourly compensation rose 0.8 percent.