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In Washington 16,837 filed initial claims for regular unemployment insurance last week

This morning the state Employment Security Department (ESD) gave its weekly report on unemployment insurance claims. ESD reported a total of 26,366 initial claims for unemployment insurance during the week ending November 14. Of this total, 18,837 initial claims were under the regular state unemployment insurance program; 2,693 claims were under the federal pandemic unemployment […]

Nationwide, 742,000 filed for unemployment insurance last week

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its weekly report on initial claims for unemployment insurance this morning. Nationwide, the number of seasonally adjusted claims was 742,000 last week. This is up from the (upwardly revised) number of claims for the previous week, 711,000. The 4-week moving average of seasonally adjusted claims was 742,000, down […]

State tax collections again exceed forecast

Today’s monthly report from the state’s Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) on general fund revenue collections brought more good news. For the sales tax, the use tax, the business and occupation tax, the public utility tax, the tobacco products tax, and penalties and interest (collectively the Revenue Act receipts), this report covers payments received […]

How will Washington fund the proposed $50 million in aid for businesses?

When Gov. Inslee announced new restrictions on business and other activities yesterday, he also said that the state will provide some additional relief for businesses: To help mitigate financial impacts on businesses and their employees, the state will commit $50 million in aid. In the short term, the state is commuting $20 million be dedicated […]

Nationwide, 709,000 filed for unemployment insurance last week

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its weekly report on initial claims for unemployment insurance this morning. Nationwide, the number of seasonally adjusted claims was 709,000 last week. This is down from the (upwardly revised) number of claims for the previous week, 757,000. The 4-week moving average of seasonally adjusted claims was 755,250, down […]

In Washington 14,681 filed initial claims for regular unemployment insurance last week

This morning the state Employment Security Department (ESD) gave its weekly report on unemployment insurance claims. ESD reported a total of 24,434 initial claims for unemployment insurance during the week ending October 31. Of this total, 14,681 initial claims were under the regular state unemployment insurance program; 3,051 claims were under the federal pandemic unemployment […]

Nationwide, 751,000 filed for unemployment insurance last week

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its weekly report on initial claims for unemployment insurance this morning. Nationwide, the number of seasonally adjusted claims was 751,000 last week. This is down from the (upwardly revised) number of claims for the previous week, 758,000. The 4-week moving average of seasonally adjusted claims was 787,000, down […]

Preliminary state economic forecast

The state Economic Revenue and Forecast Council (ERFC) met yesterday morning to review a preliminary version of the economic forecast that it will use in preparing its next update of the state revenue forecast, which is scheduled to be released on November 18. This preliminary economic forecast is a bit weaker that the economic forecast […]

Update on the Washington State Convention Center Addition Project

In November 2016, we published a report on the proposal by the Washington State Convention Center Public Facilities District to construct an additional building, which would roughly double the amount of space available to host conventions. The PFD broke ground on the new building in July 2018, and at this point the project is approximately […]

Update on personal income, consumer spending and saving rates during the Covid-19 recession

Here are updates of two charts regarding income and consumer spending during the Covid-19 recession, including new numbers for September and revisions to numbers for prior months, which were released today by the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). On the first chart, the stacked columns show estimated personal income for the U.S. as a […]