Jobless rate hits 9.4 percent in May; layoffs slow

[name change request]

msot of us don't have to read this story because we've felt the effects through being laid off ourselves or family members/friends being laid off... this fucking sucks and i hope it ends soon!

WASHINGTON – With companies in no mood to hire, the unemployment rate jumped to 9.4 percent in May, the highest in more than 25 years. But the pace of layoffs eased, with employers cutting 345,000 jobs, the fewest since September.

The much smaller-than-expected reduction in payroll jobs, reported by the Labor Department on Friday, adds to evidence that the recession is loosening its hold on the country. It marked the fourth straight month that the pace of layoffs slowed.

"This tide is turning," said Richard Yamarone, economist at Argus. "We expect this trend of slower job loss to continue throughout the year."

Still, the increase in the nation's unemployment rate from 8.9 percent in April underscores the difficulties that America's 14.5 million unemployed are having in finding new jobs. Economists had expected the rate to hit 9.2 percent last month.

If laid-off workers who have given up looking for new jobs or have settled for part-time work are included, the unemployment rate would have been 16.4 percent in May, the highest on records dating to 1994.

Even with layoffs slowing, companies will be reluctant to hire until they feel certain that economic conditions are improving and that any recovery will last.

Since the recession began in December 2007, the economy has lost a net total of 6 million jobs.

As the recession — which is now the longest since World War II — bites into sales and profits, companies have turned to layoffs and other cost-cutting measures to survive the fallout. Those include holding down workers' hours and freezing or cutting pay.

The average work week in May fell to 33.1 hours, the lowest on records dating to 1964. The number of people out of work six months or longer rose to more than 3.9 million in May, triple the amount from when the recession began.

Stocks rallied on the better-than-expected number of payroll reductions, but quickly gave back those gains. The Dow Jones industrial average briefly turned positive for the year but was down about 20 points in morning trading. Broader indices also dipped.
Job losses — while slower in May — were still widespread.

Construction companies cut 59,000 jobs, down from 108,000 in April. Factories cut 156,000, on top of 154,000 in the previous month. Retailers cut 17,500 positions, compared with 36,500 in April. Financial activities cut 30,000, down from 45,000 in April. Even the government reduced employment — by 7,000 — after bulking up by 92,000 in April as it added workers for the 2010 Census.

Education, health care, leisure and hospitality were among the industries adding jobs in May.

Still, in another encouraging note, job losses in both March and April were less than previously thought. Employers cut 652,000 positions in March, versus 699,000 previously reported. They eliminated 504,000 jobs in April, less than the 539,000 initially estimated.

The deepest job cuts of the recession came in January when 741,000 jobs disappeared, the most since 1949.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke repeated his prediction this week that the recession will end this year, but again warned that any recovery will be gradual.
Many economists believe the jobless rate will hit 10 percent by the end of this year. Some think it could rise as high as 10.7 percent by the second quarter of next year before it starts to make a slow descent. The post-World War II high was 10.8 percent at the end of 1982.

Friday's report "supports the notion that the recession will end this year," Yamarone said. But pain will linger and the jobless rate will move higher. He predicts it will peak at 10.2 percent early next year.

The Fed says unemployment will remain elevated into 2011 given the expectation of tepid recovery. Economists say the job market may not get back to normal — meaning a 5 percent unemployment rate — until 2013. Economic recoveries after financial crises tend to be slower, economists say.

Evidence has been mounting that the recession is letting up, with fresh signs emerging earlier this week.

The number of people continuing to draw unemployment benefits dipped for the first time in 20 weeks, and first-time claims also fell. Manufacturing's slide is slowing. Builders are boosting spending on construction projects and a barometer of home sales firmed.

Although shoppers remain cautious according to sales results from major retailers, Bernanke and other economists are hopeful that consumers won't return to the deep hibernation seen at the end of last year.

That's when the recession hit with brutal force, causing the economy to contract at a 6.3 percent pace, the most in 25 years. Consumers cut their spending at the time by the most in nearly three decades. Economic activity shrank at a 5.7 percent pace in the first three months of this year, despite a rebound by consumers.

Many analysts believe the economy is shrinking at about a 2 percent pace in the current quarter, and that the economy could return to growth as soon as the third quarter. President Barack Obama's stimulus package should help bolster the economy.

Ripple-effects from General Motors Corp.'s filing for bankruptcy protection — the fourth largest in U.S. history — could muddy the outlook, some analysts said. GM said earlier this week it will close nine factories and idle three others indefinitely as part of its restructuring. The closings, which will take place through the end of 2010, will cost up to 20,000 workers their jobs.

[david austin]

Just wait a few more months. We are about to experience a pain like no other.

[name change request]

thanks for the hopeful outlook there Dave

[david austin]

You can find plenty of 'hope' and 'greenshoots' on any number of media outlets

CNBC would be my preference if you wanted some rose tinted glasses

Other than that... Unfortunately I am simply stating the reality of the situation

If you want to start somewhere just take a look at how well that multi trillion dollar quantitative easing has worked out. That should keep you busy for a few hours.

[Tyler Durden]

Unpossible. MSNBC just told me the economy is all good now.

[molecule]

we should throw more money at it.

[Deff Gordon]

throw a donk on it

[Damnsammit]

Originally Posted by david austin

You can find plenty of 'hope' and 'greenshoots' on any number of media outlets

CNBC would be my preference if you wanted some rose tinted glasses

Other than that... Unfortunately I am simply stating the reality of the situation

If you want to start somewhere just take a look at how well that multi trillion dollar quantitative easing has worked out. That should keep you busy for a few hours.

So what stocks are you watching and when would be the best time to buy?

[name change request]

he's calling for the end of the world and you're wondering about stocks? lol

i think the U.S. will get sucked into a blackhole building up underneath the country

[Damnsammit]

Originally Posted by joel

he's calling for the end of the world and you're wondering about stocks? lol

Sure. If the world doesn't end then I want to get rich off the rebound

[david austin]

Originally Posted by Damnsammit

Sure. If the world doesn't end then I want to get rich off the rebound

something to ponder

say you make a 100% return playing the rebound but your cost of living goes up by a factor of 2 due to dollar value degradation.

let the inflation/deflation arguements begin

[Damnsammit]

I don't want 100% return, I want 10,000% return

I want Apple to become a penny stock.

[Tyler Durden]

I vote for inflation like no one's ever seen before. Like the kind outlined in the Bible...somewhere.

[LucyCiel]

I hate working in sales in a failing industry right now. Thanks for the extra depressing news.

[name change request]

Originally Posted by Damnsammit

I want Apple to become a penny stock.

if Apple becomes a penny stock i don't think it would rebound from that

and if my cost of living doubles i'm fucked