Jobless Claims Fall to Lowest Levels in Four Months

The Takeaway

Amid all of the doomsday talk this week about the debt ceiling, there is a flicker of hope for the U.S. economy this morning. Weekly jobless claims dropped below key 400,000 level for the first time since early April – a sign of stable job growth. Tomorrow, the government is expected to report that the economy grew at a 1.8 percent annual rate. Mike Munger, professor of political science and economics at Duke University, decodes these numbers and  says the deadlock in Washington threatens to derail whatever growth these numbers show.

Invest in independent global news

The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!