- Some states see rapid recovery in jobless rates, while high unemployment rates persist in Northeast and other areas
- Friday’s labor report will shed some light on whether recent spike in COVID-19 cases has worsened employment levels
- Few CEOs expect V-shaped recovery
The unemployment rate in the United States has improved after spiking in April due to business shutdowns and other effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the recovery has not been consistent across the United States, and the recent surge in coronavirus cases (resulting in a second wave of closures in many states) may further complicate matters.
Kentucky saw the most pronounced turnaround in its unemployment rate, falling from 16.6 percent in April to 4.3 percent in June. High unemployment rates persisted in the Northeast, with Massachusetts holding the highest one at 17.4 percent. Connecticut’s unemployment rate was 9.8 percent in June, up from 9.6 percent in May and 8.3 percent in April.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics report on July unemployment will be released Friday and should indicate whether the uptick in COVID-19 cases will result in higher jobless numbers. State-level data will not be available until later this month.
A survey of CEOs by the nonprofit Conference Board found that only 9 percent expect a V-shaped recovery. The largest share, 42 percent, anticipate a U-shaped recovery.