Unemployment Assistance Applications Increase

Initial requests for unemployment benefits in the US increased, dampening expectations of a
gradual recovery after the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, data published by the Labor
Department of that country showed.
As of January 30, 2020, more than 18.3 million workers received some subsidy, a drop of more
than 1.3 million from the previous week, the data showed.
On the other hand, Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at consulting firm Pantheon
Macroeconomics pointed out that he expects a sustainable downward trend in the coming
months with the reopening of the economy, but warned that requests may be temporarily 
boosted by climatic effects. following the storms that hit the country this week, as well as the
temporary shutdown of auto plants that began last week due to global semiconductor shortages.
The advance of the vaccination plan and the fall in coronavirus cases fueled expectations of an
improvement in the labor market, but it still shows the scars of the pandemic.