Is the Unemployment Situation Improving?

Based on the attached article fromThe WashingtonPost, jobless claims dropped significantly and continue to drop. The article offers different theories about what drives this.Do you think any of the theories have merit? Do you have a different explanation? Do you think the overall U.S. economy is improving? Why or why not? Please provide support for your opinion. Based on what you think is happening to the U.S. economy, what do you think will happen to interest rates?

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims and Recessions - - - Current Level - Initial Claims ( 4 week moving Average ) 700, 000 600, 000 500, 000 400 , 000 Initial Claims ( 4 week moving average ) - - - - - - - - - 300, 000 200, 000 100 , 000 1 / 1 / 2001 1 / 1 / 2005 007 1/24 1200 1 / 1 / 2003 1 / 1 / 2004 1 / 1 / 2006 11/ 2 1 1 / 2008 1 1/ 2009 1 / 1 / 2010 1 / 1 / 2011 1 / 1 / 2012 1 / 1 / 2013 1 / 1 / 2014 1 / 1 / 2015 1 / 1 1 / 1 http: / / www. calculatedriskblog . com/