Jobless claims

Christopher Waller was confirmed to a seat on the Federal Reserve Board on Thursday by a 48-47 vote along party lines.

The flood of indicators released Wednesday were indicative of a slowing economy, analysts said.

Jobless claims rose and existing home sales surged, underscoring the uneven and sporadic nature of the COVID-19 pandemic recovery.

Inflation remains low, while initial jobless claims continue improving, but the coronavirus pandemic looms large.

Gross domestic product surged in the third quarter's first read, but analysts suggest the rising number of coronavirus cases bodes ill for fourth quarter growth.

Jobless claims fell to below 800,000, existing home sales soared, leading indicators rose more than expected and the Kansas City Fed manufacturing index also climbed in the latest reading.

Initial jobless claims rose in the latest week, while the Empire State manufacturing index slipped, and the Philadelphia Fed's rose.

Recovery will be more difficult because rates were low before the pandemic, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Eric Rosengren said.

Months after the pandemic caused a surge in initial claims, the numbers remain elevated.

While not a huge gain, "claims remain staggeringly high" six months into the economic downturn, analysts say.

Jobless claims declined, but remain elevated, housing starts and building permits also slid, while manufacturing in the Philadelphia region expanded at a slower pace.

August prices climbed as the recovery from the coronavirus-induced shutdown progressed, but inflation is not a concern to most economists.

Charles Evans, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, said the economy won't be back at pre-pandemic levels until near the end of 2022.

The economy continues on a fragmented recovery from the pandemic, with the housing market being a positive sign and labor having issues.

Jobless claims grew, manufacturing expansion weakened and leading indicators grew less than last month.

The picture remains grim for the U.S. labor market as it attempts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, even though fresh initial jobless claims fell to under a million for the first time since March.

Initial jobless claims were lower after two weeks of increases, suggesting the trend may be downward again.

Rising coronavirus cases could dim the rebound expected in the third quarter, experts say.

Initial jobless claims increased for the first time since March, causing some to worry about the economic recovery.

A handful of economic indicators offered no clarity about the economy, which appears to be improving marginally, but remains fragile.