Job Growth Slowing?

Challenger Job-Cut Report  (July 2015)

– Announced Layoffs  105,696. Previous was 44,842.

The spike is due to the U.A. Army’s announcement that they were cutting 57,000 jobs over the next two years.

Initial Jobless Claims (week ended 8/2/2015)

– New Claims  seasonally adjusted 270,000. Previous was 267,000
– New Claims  totaled 225,090 a decrease of 5,133 from previous
– 4-week Moving Average  268,250. Previous was 274,750.

While Initial Jobless Claims have been very low lately yesterday’s ADP number showing a less that expected increase in private jobs shows that people losing their jobs is a small part of the movement in and out of the labor market.  This will; be analyzed in my analysis of tomorrow’s BLS Employment Situation Report.

 

Gallup US Payroll to Population  (July 2015)

– Payroll/Population 45.5. Previous was same.

Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index (week ended 8/2/2015)

–  40.3. Previous was 40.5.

This is another metric which tries to forecast through a survey consumer spending in the near future.