Positive economic news

[ProSense]

New Jobless Claims Decline to Lowest Level Since April

New claims for jobless benefits in the United States fell last week to their lowest level since early April and the country’s trade deficit unexpectedly shrank in September, pointing to a slight improvement in the sluggish economy.

The Labor Department said on Thursday that initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell for the second consecutive week, dropping 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 390,000.

That is still well above levels from before the 2007-9 recession, but economists say a level below 400,000 could prompt some acceleration in hiring.

“Clearly, the labor market is improving, but at a very slow pace,” said Omer Esiner, chief market strategist at Commonwealth Foreign Exchange in Washington.

<...>

Trade deficit narrows to lowest level this year

Record high exports in September drove the nation’s trade deficit to its smallest gap this year on the third straight monthly decline.

Sales of cars, industrial supplies and consumer goods helped lower the U.S. trade deficit to $43.1 billion in September, a 4 percent drop from a revised $44.9 billion August and the narrowest gap since December, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Exports increased 1.4 percent to an all-time high of $180.4 billion — with increased shipments of U.S. autos, parts and engines — from $177.9 billion in August.

Imports increased 0.4 percent to $223.5 billion — on autos, food and industrial supplies — as oil imports dropped and prices fell.

<...>

US consumer sentiment at a five-month high

U.S. consumer sentiment rose to its highest level in five months in early November as Americans felt better about the economic outlook, a survey released Friday showed.

The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's preliminary reading on the overall index on consumer sentiment rose to 64.2 from 60.9 the month before, topping the median forecast of 61.5 among economists polled by Reuters.

The survey's gauge of consumer expectations climbed to 56.2 from 51.8. While respondents were no more positive about the current state of the economy, they were less likely to expect it to worsen in the year ahead, the survey said.

The survey's barometer of current economic conditions nudged up to 76.6 from 75.1.

<...>

[Crazy Dave]

1. When I see some economic progress in my state...

...then I may get excited. It's worse than it was three years ago.

[Pirate Smile]

2. There is just a large variation in states, I guess. I have seen a lot of construction starting and

help wanted signs - but then I also saw yesterday that Iowa has 6% unemployment so it is doing much better then some states that are almost double that.

People seeing positive signs are NOT delusional. But it is true that it isn't evenly spread out throughout the states. It also means, of course, that saying it sucks where you are can also be true.

[Crazy Dave]

4. I can personally guarantee Obama will not win any of S.E. states in 2012

And please remember that it was I told you so come Nov. 6th 2012.

I'm in Florida and everybody here had already decided he needed to go even before the mid-terms.

[ProSense]

5. Actually,

I can personally guarantee Obama will not win any of S.E. states in 2012 And please remember that it was I told you so come Nov. 6th 2012.

I'm in Florida and everybody here had already decided he needed to go even before the mid-terms.

...not "everybody," especially since Florida is always close and the polls show a statistical tie

Florida

Pitting President Obama against possible Republican challengers shows:

• Romney at 45 percent to Obama's 42 percent;
• Obama edging Cain 45 - 41 percent;
• Obama at 45 percent to House Speaker Newt Gingrich's 42 percent;
• Obama over Texas Gov. Rick Perry 46 - 40 percent.

Still, how did you expect Florida's economy to improve when it has a lunatic for a Governor?

When you say "everybody here had already decided he needed to go," are you implying that people are going to vote Republican?

Who are you planning on voting for?

[Crazy Dave]

6. I'm not voting for any presidential candidate in 2012 n/t

[ProSense]

7. And you see that as the solution to Florida's economic problems? n/t

[Crazy Dave]

10. Can't make them any worse n/t

[ProSense]

12. Yeah,

"Can't make them any worse"

...keep telling yourself that. I'm sure the Republicans will help to improve your quality of life as they've done for the last forty years. BTW, are you in the top one percent?

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tarheel_Dem]

15. Then we won't see you in GD:"Presidency" again right? No need for you to participate here.

:hi:

[DCBob]

17. Florida is in play now because of its lunatic Republican Gov.

Obama has a decent chance of winning FL but even if he doesnt he can still win since there are other big swing states leaning his way... eg OH,PA,NC,etc.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

20. everybody?

[MjolnirTime]

26. you can't guarantee anything except throwing your vote away.

Not all are that dense.

[ProSense]

3. What

"When I see some economic progress in my state..."

...state is that?

In NJ, the unemployment rate was trending down before Christie took office. His layoffs and policies have resulted in a reverse of the trend and it's now higher than the national rate.

That has not been the case in states like MA.

[LWolf]

11. Every time we make another staff cut, pay cut, program cut,

to keep the school doors open, we are told, before they even kick in, that the next budget cycle will be worse.

Every time.

So we already know that there not only won't be any rise in revenues to restore cuts, but that more are on the way.

[Tarheel_Dem]

14. Blame your batshit crazy governor?

:shrug:

[veganlush]

8. bring it on! n/t

[DCBob]

9. How dare you post good news!!

We want doomsday!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

19. LOL!

[Tarheel_Dem]

13. K & R

:kick:

[DCBob]

16. Its starting to look like the US is going to survive this mess while Europe smolders..

a bit like the aftermath of WW2.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

21. I think Europe will still have a huge impact on us

[DCBob]

25. Yes no doubt.. but looks like we can may be able to weather the storm..

and perhaps come out of it in decent shape.

[eridani]

23. If "survival" = the currently really shitty "new normal" then fuck it

As long as Obama goes along with austerity, we are fucked, no matter what slight ups or downs in the economy occur

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/11/opinion/legends-of-the-fail.html

The other thing you need to know is that in the face of the current crisis, austerity has been a failure everywhere it has been tried: no country with significant debts has managed to slash its way back into the good graces of the financial markets. For example, Ireland is the good boy of Europe, having responded to its debt problems with savage austerity that has driven its unemployment rate to 14 percent. Yet the interest rate on Irish bonds is still above 8 percent — worse than Italy.

The moral of the story, then, is to beware of ideologues who are trying to hijack the European crisis on behalf of their agendas. If we listen to those ideologues, all we’ll end up doing is making our own problems — which are different from Europe’s, but arguably just as severe — even worse.
along the way.

[DCBob]

24. survival -- meaning not falling back into a recession, or worse, like many have been predicting.

i dont think the austerity stuff works either but there are some common sense changes that can and should be made to help avert an economic meltdown.

[Tarheel_Dem]

22. Kick (nt)