"WASHINGTON The number of people applying for U.S. unemployment benefits ticked down last week after dropping sharply the previous week, evidence hiring could pick up this month.Weekly applications dropped 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 367,000 in the week ending May 5, the Labor Department said Thursday. The previous week's figure was revised up slightly.The four-week average, a less volatile measure, fell 5,250 to 379,000.Applications are a measure of the pace of layoffs. When they stay consistently below 375,000, it suggests job growth is strong enough to lower the unemployment rate.The unemployment rate has dropped a full percentage point since August -- to 8.1 percent in April. That's good news for President Barack Obama, for whom the economy is the top issue as he faces a general election in November.Applications are falling again after rising for most of April. The spike in applications coincided with weaker hiring in March and April. That raised fears t
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario