Thursday’s business headlines

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Here’s a look at Thursday’s business headlines.

Jobless claims

Initial unemployment claims likely dropped for a seventh straight week to a fresh pandemic-era low.

360,000 claims are expected versus 376,000 the prior week.

Importantly, this week’s jobless claims data will reflect the last survey period during which full federal pandemic-era unemployment benefits were in place across all U.S. states.

Since then, many states have dropped the enhanced federal benefits.

Indiana jobs

The fastest growing jobs in Indiana is weighers, measurers, checkers, samplers and record-keeping.

Those are people in charge of keeping track of the shipments and materials that come in and out of the warehouses, stockrooms or shipping depots where they work.

The 5-year growth rate is 145%.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest offered “50% off base fares for 50 days of fall travel,” which will only last for 48 hours.

Customers can use the limited time discount to book a flight this coming fall through June 17.

This sale may be the only way to help lure travelers after the busy summer season winds down.

Social security

Rising consumer costs like gasoline and car prices are helping to push the estimate for next year’s social security cost-of-living adjustment higher.

The size of any bump retirees and other beneficiaries may see depends on four more months of data.

Rising consumer costs have helped push the latest estimate for next year’s social security cost-of-living adjustment to 5.3% – the highest since 2009.