The advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 623,000,

[Sandrine for you]

Source: United States Department of Labor.

In the week ending Feb. 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 623,000, a decrease of 8,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 631,000. The 4-week moving average was 607,500, an increase of 24,000 from the previous week's revised average of 583,500.

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

---

It look like the progress in purchase. Obama effect ?

[Dr.Phool]

1. Nah,

A lot of the unemployed were too sick from eating peanut butter to file claims.

Those numbers are still horrific. Bush effect.

[Javaman]

2. Cyclical.

waves of layoffs happen and with each one the numbers of people collecting unemployment increase and decrease.

an 8,000 decrease is not a trend make, it's just either, 8,000 less people have collected unemployment probably due to their benefits running out.

Also, announced layoffs isn't the same thing as being laid off. Expect the unemployment numbers to go up much higher in the next few months as corps follow through on their announcements.

[tclambert]

3. The stimulus (job saving and creation) bill hasn't been signed into law yet.

Any "Obama effect" so far is just from talk-talk. Action takes longer. And reaction to the action will take longer yet. Spring to summer is when you'll see the "Obama effect."

[Sandrine for you]

4. Well, on january 20 I buy a lot of Champagne, maybe someone

have to employed an american because of that. Or maybe, the Obama effect is just the effect of Champagne that I still feel.