Photo: Spencer Platt, Getty Images Agence France-Presse
The number of new claims for weekly unemployment benefits fell below the two-million mark last week in the United States for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic coronavirus in the country by mid-march, according to figures released Thursday by the department of Labor.
A little more than 1.87 million people were registered as unemployed between the 24 and the 30 of may, compared to 2.12 million in the previous week.
It is a little more than the 1.8 million new claims expected by analysts, which shows the turmoil in the u.s. economy even if the activity has resumed slowly in most of the States which have lifted the containment.
Since the historical record of 6.8 million new registered unemployed during the last week of march, the number of new entrants decreases slowly each week.
In total, approximately 43 million Americans are enrolled in unemployment in two and a half months.
But nearly $ 21.5 million were compensated during the week of 17 to 23 may. The difference is explained by the fact that some registrants may not touch the unemployed, and other have found new employment.
The number of beneficiaries is, however, a slight rise, after falling for the first time the previous week.
The unemployment rate for the month of may will be published on Friday. It could reach 20%, according to the expectation of analysts.
It is necessary to go back to the 1930s to find an unemployment rate so high. During the Great depression, it was increased up to 25%.
To see the video
