Americans applied for fewer unemployment benefits at the end of 2019, the Labor Department announced Thursday. The number dropped by 2,000 to 222,000 in the seven days up until December 28, although the four-week average ticked up by 4,750 to 233,250.
The report beat expectations that had predicted 225,000 new claims, according to Reuters. The result marks the third consecutive weekly decline.
“I think we’re definitely going to see slightly smaller growth month by month than what we saw in 2019 and that’s consistent with economists expectations’ of the macroeconomy weakening slightly,” in the labor market, Beth Akers, Manhattan Institute senior fellow, told Cheddar.
She will be keeping an eye on manufacturing trends and changes in policy regarding trade for indications about how job numbers will grow (or shrink) in 2020.
“If you’re looking to something to be concerned about, you can look at the four-week moving average, which is up from what it’s been over the course of the year,” Akers said. “But, by and large, these are really strong, positive numbers for the labor market.”
With the emergence of the omicron variant, the U.S. is considering tightening international travel guidelines. The CDC said it might reduce the window for foreign travelers to submit a negative COVID-19 test from three days prior to one day before allowing entry.
Following the recent emergence of the Omicron variant, markets are still attempting to recover after high sell-offs over the past few days. CEO and founder of Asymmetric ETF’s Darran Schuringa reacted to the further dive in markets following Fed Chairman Jerome Powell's announcement that the central bank is discussing speeding up the taper of its bond-buying program.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are over, but even early bird shopper could find themselves with gifts in time this holiday season due to potential delivery delays as traditional mail services such as the UPS and Fedex work to get packages from mail rooms to front doors. Kassidy Bird, Senior Director of Marketing at Convey by Project44 gives an in depth look into how savvy shoppers can navigate around potential shipping issues this holiday season.
Reese Mozer, CEO and co-founder of American Robotics, joins Cheddar News to discuss innovations in edge computing and how drone technology can maximize its potential.
Elizabeth Ebert, CIO Advisory Partner for CPG, Retail and Logistics at Infosys Consulting spoke to Cheddar about why this Black Friday, with increased pressure due to inventory issues, supply chain delays, and labor shortages, shelves may not be as stocked as usual this holiday season.
Jill and Carlo cover the latest on Omicron, another school shooting in America and more. Plus, bidding farewell to 'transitory' inflation, and the controversy surrounding 'Lovely Bones' author Alice Sebold.
