Author Archive
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Unemployment Inches Up to 7.9%
The unemployment rate ticked up from 7.8% to 7.9% in January, according to a jobs report the Wall Street Journal calls "disappointing." The economy added 157,000 jobs, slightly below expectations of 166,000. But here's some news that got a "Whoa, mama!" from the Journal : Numbers for... Go to Source Author: Evann Gastaldo
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Walmart: We’ll Hire Every Veteran Looking for Work
Walmart is set to make a pretty bold hiring announcement today: It plans to employ every veteran looking for work. The statement does, however, come with an asterisk—veterans must have left the military within the past 12 months and not have been dishonorably discharged. Still, the five-year plan, which... Go to Source Author: Kate Seamons
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Greek Unemployment Hits Record High
Unemployment in Greece has climbed even higher, reaching 26.8% in October, according to figures released today, while another lawmaker abandoned the coalition government over a Swiss Bank account scandal. The Statistical Authority said unemployment increased from 26.2% in September 2012, and marked a significant jump from the 19.... Go to Source Author:
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EU Unemployment Hits All-Time High
Eurozone unemployment hit 11.8% in November, leaving a record 18.8 million out of work, according to data released today by the EU's official statistics agency. The figure, the highest recorded since the currency union formed in 1999, is only a touch higher than October, but a full 1.... Go to Source Author: Kevin Spak
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Unemployment Holds at 7.8%
Today's jobs numbers fell just slightly below the expectations of economists: 155,000 jobs were added last month, when 160,000 had been expected, the Wall Street Journal reports. The unemployment rate held steady at 7.8%; last month's initial rate of 7.7% was revised upward. Some observations from... Go to Source Author: Evann Gastaldo
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Fed Announces $45B-a-Month Bond Buy
The Federal Reserve dropped a bombshell today, announcing that it would spend $45 billion a month on bond purchases to keep interest rates low, and that it would keep its short-term rates near zero as long as it takes to get unemployment below 6.5%. It will also keep up... Go to Source Author: Kevin Spak
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Millions About to Lose Unemployment Benefits
Millions of Americans may be dreading New Year's Day—because that's when their unemployment benefits are scheduled to expire, reports the Wall Street Journal . Some economists dread it too, saying the federally backed emergency payments help the economy and put food on the table for 2.1 million Americans. With...
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Unemployment Falls to 7.7%
The unemployment rate fell from 7.9% to 7.7% in November, and the Wall Street Journal gives you permission to care a little less than usual. It calls today's report "the least important look at the labor market in about five years." That's because 1) Hurricane Sandy, holiday hiring,...
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Crazy Commute: Wisconsin Workers to Staff ND Store
And you thought your commute was bad: Home improvement retailer Menard plans to fly 50 workers weekly from its headquarters in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to a store in the booming town of Minot, North Dakota. A nearby oil patch has swelled the town's population to nearly 50,000 (up from...
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Unemployment May Be Just as Bad for Heart as Smoking
Depressing news from a new study: Losing a job repeatedly could be just as bad for your heart as smoking, high blood pressure, or diabetes, Time reports. The study looked at more than 13,000 adults aged 50 to 75 and followed them for 18 years, finding a strong link...
