Weather and jobless claims

If there was any  confusion that nasty weather and snow can impact those who need to file for unemployment compensation, a quick look at the chart below should dispel any doubts.

In the latest week, jobless claims fell 42,000 to 415,000, which comes on the heels of a 54,000 rise in the previous week.



On top of that, the country is experiencing a significant blast of cold weather and snow, which seems very likely to distort claims in the coming weeks.  Until nasty weather conditions ease, the data are likely to be of very little value in gauging economic and labor conditions.

For more information on today’s report, please see Weather still a factor in weekly jobless claims at Examiner.com.