Weekly initial claims for unemployment benefits dropped to a 7-year low of 300,000 this past week. Many are saying that the drop signals a firming economy as employers are needing keep more people on payroll. Economists had forecasted that unemployment insurance benefits would drop to a seasonally adjusted 320,000. The winter?s passing and perpetually low inflationary pressures may be partially responsible for the decrease in jobless claims and the increase in auto sales and other business indictors.
See "WRAPUP 2-U.S. jobless claims at 7-year low, signal firming economy", Lucia Mutikani, Reuters, April 10, 2014