Higher pay and outsize stock market gains are flowing mainly to affluent Americans. Yet these households spend less of their money than do low- and middle-income consumers who make up most of the population but whose pay is barely rising.
The Institute for Supply Management said Monday that its index of manufacturing activity rose to 57.3. That was up from 56.4 in October and was the highest since April 2011. A reading above 50 signals growth.
The number of people applying for U.S. unemployment benefits fell 21,000 to a seasonally adjusted 323,000 last week, the lowest since late September and further evidence of an improving job market.
The number of people applying for U.S. unemployment benefits slipped 2,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 339,000, the fifth straight decline that shows businesses see little need to cut jobs.
DebugScreen: mobile
{
"author": {
"name": "Christopher S Rugaber",
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"imageLarge": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f16d6fc2845f417ea0e93a3f2b6cd37d?s=136&d=mm&r=g",
"estimate": 262,
"social": [],
"articles": [
{
"uri": "/2013/12/20/unemployment-rates-fall-in-nearly-all-u-s-states/",
"title": "Unemployment rates fall in nearly all U.S. states",
"byline": " Christopher S. Rugaber ",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "December 20, 2013",
"timeToRead": "1 minute",
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},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-s-rugaber/",
"name": "Christopher S. Rugaber"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "The Labor Department says employers added jobs in 43 states and cut jobs in just seven.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2013/12/19/weekly-jobless-claims-hit-9-month-high/",
"title": "Weekly jobless claims hit 9-month high",
"byline": "Christopher S. Rugaber",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "December 19, 2013",
"timeToRead": "3 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
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},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-s-rugaber/",
"name": "Christopher S. Rugaber"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "The Labor Department said Thursday that the less volatile four-week average jumped 13,250 to 343,250, the second straight increase.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2013/12/18/ap-survey-u-s-income-gap-is-holding-back-economy/",
"title": "AP survey: U.S. income gap is holding back economy",
"byline": " Christopher S. Rugaber ",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "December 18, 2013",
"timeToRead": "5 minute",
"image": {
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},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-s-rugaber/",
"name": "Christopher S. Rugaber"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "Higher pay and outsize stock market gains are flowing mainly to affluent Americans. Yet these households spend less of their money than do low- and middle-income consumers who make up most of the population but whose pay is barely rising.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2013/12/10/job-openings-hit-five-year-high-2/",
"title": "Job openings hit five-year high",
"byline": "Christopher S. Rugaber",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "December 10, 2013",
"timeToRead": "3 minute",
"image": {
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},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-s-rugaber/",
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}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "The Labor Department said Tuesday that job openings rose 1 percent to a seasonally adjusted 3.93 million. That is the highest figure since March 2008.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2013/12/06/unemployment-falls-to-7-percent/",
"title": "Unemployment falls to 7 percent",
"byline": "Christopher S. Rugaber",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "December 06, 2013",
"timeToRead": "4 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
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},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-s-rugaber/",
"name": "Christopher S. Rugaber"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "Employers added 203,000 jobs last month after adding 200,000 in October.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2013/12/04/u-s-companies-add-215k-jobs-most-in-year/",
"title": "U.S. companies add 215K jobs, most in year",
"byline": " Christopher S. Rugaber ",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "December 04, 2013",
"timeToRead": "2 minute",
"image": {
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},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-s-rugaber/",
"name": "Christopher S. Rugaber"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "The figure suggests that hiring remained healthy in November after picking up in the prior three months.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2013/12/02/u-s-manufacturing-grows-at-fastest-in-2-years/",
"title": "U.S. manufacturing grows at fastest in 2½ years",
"byline": " Christopher S. Rugaber ",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "December 02, 2013",
"timeToRead": "3 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
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},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-s-rugaber/",
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}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "The Institute for Supply Management said Monday that its index of manufacturing activity rose to 57.3. That was up from 56.4 in October and was the highest since April 2011. A reading above 50 signals growth.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2013/11/22/overall-hiring-hits-five-year-high/",
"title": "Overall hiring hits five-year high",
"byline": "Christopher S. Rugaber",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "November 22, 2013",
"timeToRead": "1 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
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},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-s-rugaber/",
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}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "U.S. job openings and overall hiring both rose to five-year highs in September, signaling improvement in the job market.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2013/11/21/jobless-benefit-applications-drop-again/",
"title": "Jobless benefit applications drop again",
"byline": "Christopher S. Rugaber",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "November 21, 2013",
"timeToRead": "2 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
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},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-s-rugaber/",
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],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "The number of people applying for U.S. unemployment benefits fell 21,000 to a seasonally adjusted 323,000 last week, the lowest since late September and further evidence of an improving job market.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2013/11/14/jobless-aid-apps-dip-for-fifth-straight-month/",
"title": "Jobless aid apps dip for fifth straight month",
"byline": "Christopher S. Rugaber",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "November 14, 2013",
"timeToRead": "3 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
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},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/christopher-s-rugaber/",
"name": "Christopher S. Rugaber"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "The number of people applying for U.S. unemployment benefits slipped 2,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 339,000, the fifth straight decline that shows businesses see little need to cut jobs.",
"body": null
}
]
}
}
