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The National Association of Realtors (NAR) said on Thursday that sales of previously owned homes dropped 4.3 percent last month, the third monthly fall in a row, to an annual rate of 4.90 million units.
 
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell for a second week last week, suggesting labor market conditions continue to steadily improve.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits slipped 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 339,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Claims for the prior week were revised to show 3,000 more applications received than previously reported.
The four-week moving average for new claims rose 8,500 to 357,250 as the holiday-related volatility lingers.
 
An index of manufacturing activity came in at 57.0 in December.
Economists polled by Reuters were expecting the ISM manufacturing index to tick down to 56.7 from 57.3.
 
Private sector job creation continued at a healthy clip in December, with companies adding a better-than-expected 238,000 positions despite the inclement weather. Economists expected the ADP/Moody's Analytics report to show the private sector created 200,000 positions in December, down slightly from the 215,000 initially reported for November.
 
Alcoa posted fourth-quarter earnings excluding items of 4 cents per share, down from 6 cents a share in the year-earlier period. Revenue decreased to $5.59 billion from $5.90 billion a year ago.
Analysts had expected the company to report earnings excluding items of 6 cents a share on $5.34 billion in revenue
 
If we start seeing a mixture of good and bad news we'll finally see some volatility. Could get interesting. There are some who think it will be a good earnings season overall.
 
I'm not sure how the unemployment rate drops with a number like today:US Dec. nonfarm payrolls total 74,000 vs. 200,000 est.; unemployment rate at 6.7% vs. 7% est.
 
I'm not sure how the unemployment rate drops with a number like today:US Dec. nonfarm payrolls total 74,000 vs. 200,000 est.; unemployment rate at 6.7% vs. 7% est.

The numbers are severly fudged. Happened during the Clinton admin. I believe. You can check out John Williams' site, shadowstats.com to see what the calculations look like using the older metrics. He estimates real unemployment at around 20%.
 
Re: Dec 2013 Jobs Report Contest

I suppose FED tapering will slow because of less jobs, do I smell something?stinkfish.gif
 
Re: Dec 2013 Jobs Report Contest

6.7 % unemployment reflects lowest labor participation rate since 1978.
535K left work force last month..
Low jobs number blamed on weather, seasonal factors ??
Will have to wait to see revisions next month..
 
Re: Dec 2013 Jobs Report Contest

Wait until it breaks 6.5%, the administration will claim that their economic strategy is successful based on trumped down numbers. Par for the course.
 
Re: Dec 2013 Jobs Report Contest

CAT reported a fourth-quarter profit of $1 billion, or $1.54 a share, up from $697 million, or $1.04 a share, in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Revenue fell 10 percent to $14.4 billion.

Analysts, on average, expected Caterpillar to post a profit of $1.28 a share on sales of $13.6 billion
 
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