Index of leading economic indicators up 0.2% in Sept; jobless claims down last week

[WI_DEM]

The index of U.S. leading economic indicators increased in September at a pace that suggests a slower rate of growth in the coming months.

The Conference Board’s gauge of the outlook for the next three to six months climbed 0.2 percent after a 0.3 percent gain in August, the New York-based research group said today. The September increase, the lowest since a decline in April, matched economists’ projections, according to the median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey.

A Federal Reserve survey published yesterday said the economy maintained its expansion last month even as more companies reported more doubt about the strength of the recovery. An acceleration in growth is needed to support the job gains that drive household spending, the biggest part of the U.S. economy.

“The news on the U.S. economy is still not great,” Nigel Gault, chief U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight in Lexington, Massachusetts, said before the report. “But it is better than we thought two weeks ago.”

Another report today indicated the labor market has made little improvement since the start of the year. Applications for jobless benefits decreased by 6,000 to 403,000 in the week ended Oct. 15, according to the Labor Department in Washington. Economists forecast 400,000 claims, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-20/u-s-leading-economic-indicators-increased-0-2-in-september.html

[jschurchin]

1. Bwahaha!!!!

What a crock. Last week the unemployment figure was 404k only to be "revised" this week to 409k. Look for this weeks 403 to be "revised" next week to 411. The BLS prints bullshit every week and their is always somebody here who posts this Great news.
Bwahahaha!!!!!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. You Do Know That If The Economy

You do know if the economy continues to grow at one to one and one half percent the unemployment rate will stay essential level or even go up because of population growth.

To put a serious dent in the unemployment rate you need at least three percent or higher GDP growth.