Tagged: economy

First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending Aug. 25, increased from the previous week's total.

The state labor department figures released Friday show the initial claims increased to 2,956 from the previous week's total of 2,835. Initial claims were below the comparable week a year earlier at 3,648.

The four-week moving average, which is a less volatile measure of claims, decreased to 2,055 from the previous week's total of 2,963.

Unemployment rates fell from June to July in 62 of Louisiana's 64 parishes, according to figures released Friday.

Lafourche Parish has the lowest jobless rate at 5.2 percent. East Carroll Parish's 20 percent rate is the highest. Only Concordia and Franklin parishes saw increases.

The oil-fueled Houma metro area, with 5.4 percent unemployment, is lowest among Louisiana's eight urban areas. Joblessness in metro New Orleans fell to 8.1 percent from 8.7 percent in June. In metro Baton Rouge, it fell to 8 percent from 8.7 percent.

A new study says New Orleans is in a poverty crisis. The review, commissioned by the Greater New Orleans Foundation and conducted by the Greater New Orleans Comunity Data Center, finds financial trouble extending to the middle class.