JOBLESS CLAIMS AT A 15 YR. LOW

The latest report on weekly jobless claims came in lower than expected and the four week average is the lowest since 2000.*  Though April retail sales were a disappointment** and the number of new hires a modest disappointment, there is good news in that the unemployment record is low at 5.4% *** and relatively few people are being laid off (see Figure in the reference).  It seems to me this is a good sign for the economy.

* http://www.cnbc.com/id/102678233
** http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2015/05/retail-sales-01-042015.html
*** http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000