On 5/8/2021 8:53 AM, micky wrote:
In alt.home.repair, on Sat, 8 May 2021 05:05:40 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:

On Friday, May 7, 2021 at 3:55:13 PM UTC-4, micky wrote:
In alt.home.repair, on Fri, 7 May 2021 12:28:30 -0700 (PDT),
" wrote:

On Friday, May 7, 2021 at 2:11:23 PM UTC-4, micky wrote:
OT Why does the press routinely report the number of new applications
for unemployment insurance for the week (or the day?), and whether the
number has gone up or down?

It seems to me that the number of NEW cases in any period is almost
random, depending on when employers decide they have to lay people off,
and that's influenced by a dozen factors. Therefore it can go up or down
without meaning anything.

If you graph those numbers, they can show a trend even if there's some
jitter in the data.

Cindy Hamilton
But don't they know the total number getting unemployment and if they
reported that it would be a better measure, both on a graph or without a
graph.

Labor dept reports that number too.

Then for some strange reason, the radio never reports it, only the
number of new cases.

Just like the radio always reports the Dow is down X points, but never
tells you what the actual value is.


Of course the Labor dept. should report both. I wonder which they
consider more important.