The number of American workers filing for first-time unemployment benefits in the United States fell last week, remaining at levels that point to an improving job market. Initial jobless claims fell by 15 to 2.000 in the week ended Nov. 291.000, the Labor Department reported.
The data is worse than forecasts by analysts, who expected a value of 283.000 units. The prior week's figure was revised up by 3.000 to 293.000. The four-week average, more reliable as it is not subject to market fluctuations, rose by 1.750 units to 287.500. The figure has remained below 300.000 units for ten weeks, the best series since 2000, and is firmly below 400.000 units, a threshold which according to analysts signals a stalemate.
The total number of workers receiving unemployment benefits for more than a week – for the week ending Nov. 8, the last for which data is available – decreased by 73.000 to 2,33 million.
Meanwhile, the data on consumer prices also arrives from the United States in October they remained unchanged, a sign that inflationary pressures remain low, also due to the fall in energy prices and slow growth abroad. According to reports from the US Department of Labor, the consumer price index remained unchanged, while analysts expected a drop of 0,1%.
The "core" figure, i.e. the one excluding the food and energy prices component, grew by 0,2%, while analysts expected an increase of 0,1%. On an annual basis, the figure is up 1,7% for the third month in a row compared to October 2013, both for the general figure and for the "core" figure. The value considered optimal by the Federal Reserve is equal to 2%.
