trade gap climbs to record $68.5 billion ; jobless claims rise to 303,000

[papau]

U.S. trade gap climbs to record $68.5 billion in January; jobless claims rise to 303,000 in latest week.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060309/bs_nm/economy_trade_dc;_ylt=Aio_bksCs5K__FlQ3ZQCCpuyBhIF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

Trade gap widens in January to record $68.5 bln 4 minutes ago



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. trade deficit widened more than expected in January to a record $68.5 billion, as record imports fueled by high oil prices outstripped record exports propelled by stronger foreign demand, a U.S. Commerce Department report showed on Thursday.

The monthly trade gap swelled 5.3 percent from a revised estimate of $65.1 billion in December. It also surpassed a median forecast of $66.5 billion made by Wall Street analysts.

The biggest ever monthly deficit in January follows a record annual trade deficit of $723.6 billion in 2005. The trade gap would exceed $800 billion in 2006 if it continued to run at the pace set in the first month of the year.<snip>

The monthly trade gap with China widened 9.9 percent to $17.9 billion in January. The persistent deficit with China, the United States' largest with any single country, has fueled charges in Congress that China is an unfair trader that manipulates its currency to gain a trade advantage. Manufacturers and politicians have demanded that Beijing revalue its yuan currency.<snip>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060309/bs_nm/economy_jobless_dc;_ylt=AgRBP_x2HOyMLu6Du3.NJhOyBhIF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA--

Jobless claims rise unexpectedly last week

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week to 303,000, the highest level since the start of the year, a government report showed on Thursday.

The 8,000 increase in initial claims for jobless aid in the week ended March 4 took them above 300,000 for the first time since the January 7 week, the Labor Department said.

Wall Street economists had expected claims to dip to 290,000 last week from the 294,000 initially reported for week ended February 25.<snip>

The report also showed the number of people still on the benefit rolls after receiving an initial week of aid rose 29,000 to 2.51 million in the week ended February 25, the latest week for which figures are available.<snip>

http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/current.htm

[Doctor_J]

1. We turned the corner again

or maybe that was last week - this week it's "I inherited this recession".

[papau]

2. All the "quality improvements" keeping Bush inflation below 10% do not

seem to affect my life.

These folks are great with numbers - and our media never questions.

[raccoon]

3. I agree with your post, except for one word--

"our" media? No, the corporate media hos.

[papau]

5. true

:-(

[central scrutinizer]

4. Yup, he's turned the economy around 360 degrees from last month