In the US the job market is still limping. This week it is came up by surprise the number of Americans who for the first time have requested the unemployment benefit.
According to data provided by the Department of Labor, between 20 and 26 November applications increased by 6.000 units, for a total of 402.000. Analysts had instead expected a drop of 3.000 units, to 390.000.
This latest increase brought the figure back above the 400.000 mark for the first time since October. Economists believe that it is this threshold that marks the boundary between recovery and crisis.
The previous week's figure was also revised upwards from 393.000 to 396.000 units.
The four-week average rose by 500 to 395.750. The total number of workers receiving unemployment benefits for more than a week rose by 35.000 to 3.740.000.
