• U.S. Regional and State Unemployment Annual Averages - 2013

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In 2013, annual average unemployment rates declined in 43 states and the District of Columbia, rose in 2 states, and were unchanged in 5 states. Employment-population ratios decreased in 28 states, increased in 17 states and the District of Columbia, and were unchanged in 5 states. The U.S. jobless rate declined by 0.7 percentage point from the prior year to 7.4 percent, and the national employment-population ratio was unchanged at 58.6 percent. See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS

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• U.S. Gross Domstic Product – Q4 2013

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Real gross domestic product -- the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States -- increased at an annual rate of 2.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 (that is, from the third quarter to the fourth quarter), according to the "second" estimate. In the third quarter, real GDP increased 4.1 percent. The GDP estimate released today is based on more complete source data than were available for the "advance" estimate issued last month. In the advance estimate, the increase in real GDP was 3.2 percent. With this second estimate for the fourth quarter, an increase in personal consumption expenditures (PCE) was smaller than previously estimated. The increase in real GDP in the fourth quarter primarily reflected positive contributions from PCE, exports, nonresidential fixed investment, and private inventory investment that were partly offset by negative contributions from federal government spending, residential fixed investment, and state and local government spending. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased. The deceleration in real GDP growth in the fourth quarter reflected a deceleration in private inventory investment, a larger decrease in federal government spending, and downturns in residential fixed investment and in state and local government spending that were partly offset by accelerations in exports, in PCE, and in nonresidential fixed investment and a deceleration in imports. See the complete report at this link: USDOC-BEA

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• U.S. Initial Unemployment Claims – 22 February 2014

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In the week ending February 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 348,000, an increase of 14,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 334,000. The 4-week moving average was 338,250, unchanged from the previous week's revised average. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending February 15, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending February 8 were in Alaska (6.1), New Jersey (4.2), Rhode Island (4.2), Pennsylvania (3.9), Connecticut (3.8), Illinois (3.8), Montana (3.8), California (3.7), Wisconsin (3.7), and West Virginia (3.6). The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending February 15 were in California (+5,832), Michigan (+2,129), Oregon (+1,574), Missouri (+1,045), and Nevada (+196), while the largest decreases were in Georgia (-7,759), Pennsylvania (-3,677), Wisconsin (-3,227), Illinois (-2,780), and North Carolina (-2,644). Note: “Insured unemployment rate” refers to individuals who are unemployed and receiving UC benefits. See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS

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• U.S. Initial Unemployment Claims – 15 February 2014

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In the week ending February 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 336,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 339,000. The 4-week moving average was 338,500, an increase of 1,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 336,750. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending February 8, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate. The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending February 1 were in Alaska (5.8), Pennsylvania (4.2), Rhode Island (4.0), Connecticut (3.9), New Jersey (3.9), Wisconsin (3.8), California (3.7), Montana (3.7), Illinois (3.6), Puerto Rico (3.5), West Virginia (3.5), and Massachusetts (3.4). The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending February 8 were in Georgia (+7,229), North Carolina (+1,347), South Carolina (+1,292), Alabama (+1,191), and California (+1,145), while the largest decreases were in New York (-2,721), Ohio (-2,348), New Jersey (-2,035), Connecticut (-1,149), and New Hampshire (-1,146). Click on chart to enlarge Note: “Insured unemployment rate” refers to individuals who are unemployed and receiving UC benefits. See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS

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• U.S. Real Average Hourly Earnings Rise 0.1% – January 2014

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Real* average hourly earnings rose 0.1 percent in January, seasonally adjusted. Average hourly earnings rose 0.2 percent and the CPI-U rose 0.1 percent. Real average weekly earnings rose 0.1 percent over the month. Real average hourly earnings rose 0.4 percent, seasonally adjusted, from January 2013 to January 2014. The increase in real average hourly earnings, combined with an unchanged average workweek, resulted in a 0.4 percent increase in real average weekly earnings over this period. See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS *Note: Real earnings show the effect of inflation on your pay. If your salary went up by 2.1% over the year while the cost-of-living (CPI-U) rose 2.3%, then the “real” value of your salary fell by 0.2% [differences in some of the data are due to rounding and seasonal adjustment]. The figures reported here are earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls, seasonally adjusted.

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• U.S. Consumer Price Index Increases 0.1% As Household Energy Costs Rise - January 2014

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On a seasonally adjusted basis, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased 0.1 percent in January after rising 0.2 percent in December. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.1 percent in January, the same increase as in December. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 1.6 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 233.916 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index rose 0.4 percent prior to seasonal adjustment. The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) increased 1.6 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 230.040 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index rose 0.4 percent prior to seasonal adjustment. The Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) increased 1.4 percent over the last 12 months. For the month, the index rose 0.4 percent on a not seasonally adjusted basis. Please note that the indexes for the post-2012 period are subject to revision. The Consumer Price Index for February 2014 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, March 18, 2014, at 8:30 a.m. (EDT). See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS

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• U.S. Producer Price Index for Final Demand Rises 0.2%; Goods Increase 0.4%, Services Advance 0.1% - January 2014

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The Producer Price Index for final demand increased 0.2 percent in January. This advance followed a 0.1-percent rise in December and no change in November. In January, the index for final demand goods rose 0.4 percent and prices for final demand services inched up 0.1 percent. See the complete report at this link: USDOL-BLS

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