Initial Unemployment Claims

March 14, 2024 Initial unemployment claims fell 1 thousand in the week ending March 9 to 209,000 after declining 3 thousand in the previous week.  Thus far, in the face of rising interest rates and the fear of a recession, employers are reluctant to lay off workers. ...

Payroll Employment

March 8, 2024 Payroll employment jumped by 275 thousand in January after climbing 229 thousand in January and 290 thousand in December.  In the past three months the average increase has been 265 thousand.  The February increase was larger than the 195 thousand...

Private Employment

March 8, 2024 Private sector employment jumped by 223 thousand in January after climbing 177 thousand in January and 214 thousand in December.  In the past three months the average increase has been 205 thousand.  The February increase was larger than the 170 thousand...

Unemployment Rate

March 8, 2024 The unemployment rate rose 0.2% in February to 3.9% after having been unchanged in January.  In February the labor force rose by 150 thousand..  Employment fell by 184 thousand.  As a result, the number of unemployed workers rose by 334 thousand  and the...

Nonfarm Workweek

March 8, 2024 In any given month employers can boost output by either additional hiring workers or by lengthening the number of  hours that their employees work.  Payroll employment climbed by 275 thousand in february. At the same time the nonfarm workweek rose 0.1...

Average Hourly Earnings

March 8, 2024 Average  hourly earnings rose 0.1% in February to $34.57 after  having jumped 0.5% in January.   Firms across-the-board continue to scramble to find additional bodies.  Earnings growth has slowed slightly from 5.5% at the beginning of  last year to 4.3%...