Some observers argue the rise in unemployment insurance coverage claims alerts we’re in, or quickly to be, in a recession (e.g., [1]). Right here’s another view (A observe up on “So that you assume we is likely to be in a recession at present” Half I, Half II, Half III, Half IV, Half V, Half VI, in addition to “So that you assume we is likely to be in recession as of mid-June”, Half I and Half II, and “So that you assume we is likely to be in a recession as of mid-July”.)
From R. Walker in Goldman Sachs at present:
Preliminary jobless claims have elevated by practically 100k since their March low of 166k. Whereas the extent of claims stays traditionally low at 260k, the fast deterioration has satisfied some market members that the labor market has slowed by greater than different indicators would possibly counsel.
Nonetheless, we discover that two distortions clarify many of the enhance in preliminary claims. First, about half of the rise seems to be a statistical phantasm ensuing from residual seasonality that appeared after the Labor Division reintroduced multiplicative seasonal adjustment to the sequence earlier this 12 months. …
Second, there have been outsized will increase in preliminary claims in Connecticut and Massachusetts over the past month (roughly +20k in complete) that possible overstate the precise variety of layoffs.
After adjusting for these two distortions, GS concludes there’s been a a lot much less pronounced enhance in unemployment insurance coverage preliminary claims.
Supply: Ronnie Walker, “Explaining Away the Latest Rise in Preliminary Jobless Claims,” Goldman Sachs, August 10, 2022.
If one is doubtful of those changes, one may also calculate a 3 12 months change within the seasonally unadjusted sequence to see if certainly claims are rising quickly.
