BILINGUAL NEWS 双语新闻 180920

美国失业率达48年来最低

美国劳工部周四公布的数据显示,美国申请失业救济人数连续第三周下降,接连创下近49年来的最低水平。

新的数据显示,美国经济发展带来的蓬勃就业机会有增无减,这些数据是为劳工部将于下周公布的更受关注的每月就业报告收集的

在普遍报告出现劳工短缺的情况下,雇主们不愿辞去难以取代的雇员。

截至9月12日那一周,新增领取失业保险降至201,000人,较前一周减少3,000人。经济学家则一直预计会有209,000人。

这一数字是自1969年11月以来的最低水平,而前一周的数字是自1969年12月以来的最低水平。

不过,经济学家们表示,鉴于过去半个世纪以来美国的人口变化,这个数字实际上可能是有史以来的最低水平。

领取失业救济人数现在已经超过三年半低于300,000的象征性水平,这是有史以来持续时间最长的纪录。

失业救济申请人数每周都可能大幅波动,但能表明企业裁员的普遍程度和就业市场的健康状况。

美国过去十年来的经济复苏不断创造就业机会,将失业率推至历史低位。

在这些趋势下,人们普遍预计美联储将在下周加息以防止通胀上升过快。

US Jobless Claims Hit 48-Year Low

New U.S. claims for jobless benefits fell for the third week in a row, hitting their lowest level in nearly 49 years for the third straight week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The new figures suggest the U.S. economy's vigorous job creation continued unabated this month as the data were collected during the survey week for the department's more closely watched monthly jobs report, due out next week.

Amid a widely reported labor shortage, employers are reluctant to lay off workers who are difficult to replace.

For the week ended September 12, new claims for unemployment insurance fell to 201,000, down 3,000 from the prior week. Economists had instead been expecting a result of 209,000.

The result was the lowest level since November of 1969, whereas the prior week's level had been the lowest since December 1969.

However, economists say that in reality the levels are likely the lowest ever, given demographic changes in the United States in the past half century.

Claims have now held below the symbolic level of 300,000 for more than 3.5 years, the longest such streak ever recorded.

Though they can see big swings from week to week, jobless claims are an indication of the prevalence of layoffs and the health of jobs markets.

In a decade of economic recovery, the United States has seen uninterrupted job creation, driving the unemployment rate to historical lows.

In light of these trends, the Federal Reserve is widely expected to raise interest rates next week to prevent inflation from rising too quickly.