Friday, August 5, 2011

Employment Report

The Lehmann Letter (SM)

Stocks stabilized this morning as the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that July’s unemployment rate remained virtually unchanged at 9.1% and that nonfarm employment grew by 117,000:

http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

We’ll see if stocks hold steady through the close.

Job growth

(Click on chart to enlarge.)



Recessions shaded

A glance at the chart reveals that 117,000 new jobs, while better than some recent reports, is not up to the 200,000 – 300,000 usually associated with periods of expansion. The economy remains weak.

(The chart was taken from http://www.beyourowneconomist.com. [Click on Seminars and then Charts.] Go there for additional charts on the economy and a list of economic indicators.)

© 2011 Michael B. Lehmann

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