U.S. initial jobless claims rebound aggressively on seasonal factor

 WASHINGTON, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The number of Americans initially¹ applying for unemployment aid last week rose sharply after hitting a record low since mid-May in the previous week, the U.S. Labor² Department reported Thursday.

The figure for seasonally⁴ adjusted initial claims for jobless benefits was 386,000 in the week ending July 14, an increase of 34,000 from the previous week's revised figure.

The volatile⁵ reading was due to a change in the timing⁶ of annual automobile⁸ plant layoffs⁹, the Labor Department said as the data was released.

It is more difficult in recent weeks to determine whether the labor market is improving or not. Typically many automakers shut down plants at this point of the year to prepare for the next model year. But this year the auto⁷ industry reduced layoffs to accommodate increased demand. The seasonal³ distortions may fluctuate the figures, making them hard to analyze¹⁰.

Meanwhile, the four-week moving average, which helps smooth out week-to-week volatility¹¹, fell to 375,500, a decrease of 1,500 from the previous week.

The number of jobless claims needs to stay below 375,000 to indicate a sustained drop in the unemployment rate. It had been above the benchmark since the week of May 19.

The figure for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending July 7 was 3.314 million, up 1,000 from the prior week.

The latest labor market reports showed that job creation continued but at a slower than expected pace during the second quarter. Overall, there was a net gain of 80,000 payroll¹² jobs in June, bringing the total for the second quarter to 225,000, the lowest quarterly gain in employment in nearly two years and a lackluster result when compared with the first quarter's 677,000 job boost.

The U.S. unemployment rate remained elevated at 8.2 percent in June with about 40 percent of workers out of work for more than six months.

1 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

4 seasonally   

参考例句：

• The price of vegetables fluctuates seasonally. 蔬菜的价格随季节变动。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They moved seasonally among various vegetation types to feed on plants that were flourishing. 它们还随着季节的变化而在各种类型植物之间迁移，以便吃那些茂盛的植物。 来自辞典例句

5 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

6 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

7 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

8 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

9 layoffs   

临时解雇( layoff的名词复数 )； 停工，停止活动

参考例句：

• Textile companies announced 2000 fresh layoffs last week. 各纺织公司上周宣布再次裁员两千人。
• Stock prices broke when the firm suddenly announced layoffs. 当公司突然宣布裁员时，股票价格便大跌

10 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

11 volatility   

n.挥发性，挥发度，轻快，（性格）反复无常

参考例句：

• That was one reason why volatility was so low last year.这也是去年波动性如此低的原因之一。
• Yet because volatility remained low for so long,disaster myopia prevailed.然而，由于相当长的时间里波动性小，灾难短视就获胜了。

12 payroll   

n.工资表，在职人员名单，工薪总额

参考例句：

• His yearly payroll is $1.2 million.他的年薪是120万美元。
• I can't wait to get my payroll check.我真等不及拿到我的工资单了。