Reply #29: The "rate" you're referring to is the unemployment rate. The rate went down; the # of losses [View All]

went down. I don't understand your confusion about that.

And yes...most definitely....it was because expectations by the public and economic community were that job losses would at least be the same, or climb, like the previous months all year...it was because of that, that a slight decrease in the losses sent the stock market soaring.

It's all about expectations. If you own a stock, and you know the co. is in trouble...when the co. reports its fiscal year end profit or loss...you might be expecting a huge loss because the companies' problems. If the company posts only a modest loss, the company's stock price will soar, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THE CO. HAD A BIG LOSS, IT WAS LESS THAN EXPECTED.

It's all about expectations.

Now maybe you, personally, expect job loss rate to improve. But most people did not, and most economists did not, and the administration did not. Everyone was hoping, but did not "expect" the job loss rate to improve.