Unemployment claims drop, but new data paint a muddied economic picture, By Howard Schneider, March 1, 2012, Washington Post: “New claims for unemployment benefits fell to a new four-year low last week, suggesting that the U.S. labor market continues to improve. And a survey of factory purchasing managers indicated that manufacturing activity continues to grow. But new data on personal incomes, consumption and construction spending all cast doubt on the overall strength and durability of the U.S. economic recovery. The U.S. economy, after a year of concern about problems in Europe and the possibility of a broad “double dip” recession, gathered pace at the end of last year. The faster growth began being felt, as well, in an expanding job market and falling unemployment…”
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty