High-Frequency Update: 4-12-26
Arizona new business applications remained strong in March
Arizona initial claims for unemployment insurance bounced up to 2,967 for the week ended April 4, up from 2,654 the prior week. That was down 21.9% over the year and down 41.0% from 2019.
U.S. weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance rose to 202,895 for the week ended April 4, up from 186,258 the prior week. That was down 6.3% over the year but up 3.5% from 2019.
The U.S. hotel occupancy rate dropped to 60.6% for the week ended April 4, down from 66.8% the prior week. That was down 5.0% over the year and down 11.8% from 2019.
U.S. movie box office sales spiked to $278.4 million for the week ended April 9, up from $195.0 million the prior week. That was up 9.4% over the year and up 44.6% from 2019. New movie releases were down 45.7% from 2019.
U.S. TSA traveler throughput ticked down to 17.5 million for the week ended April 4. That was down from 18.0 million the prior week. Throughput was up 1.9% over the year and up 9.4% from 2019.
Weekly data on Arizona new business applications continue to be published by the Census Bureau, but only on a monthly basis. Weekly data for March ranged from 820 to 870. Overall, new business applications remain strong, compared to pre-pandemic levels, but have weakened compared to 2023.
Data on seated diners at restaurants using the OpenTable app is no longer being updated to compare the current week to 2019 results.
As of October 15, 2022, Google stopped updating mobility data.
Key News Articles and Research (subscription may be required)
Curated by Valorie Rice, Senior Business Information Specialist
Arizona and general topics: Metro Monitor 2026: The relationship between immigration and regional economic performance over the past decade (Brookings 3/18)
Automation / AI: How will AI affect the US labor market? (Goldman Sachs 3/18)
Demographic / socioeconomic / Census: “The alarm bell”: Arizona’s drop in SNAP participation signals potential nationwide impact of Trump legislation (AZPM 4/8)
Federal statistics: Understanding the risks to economic statistics (Brookings 4/7)
Economy: US economy grew a sluggish 0.5% in fourth quarter, government says, downgrading previous estimate (AP 4/9)
Education / early childhood development: The hidden innovation infrastructure project: understanding the economic development role of technician education in the changing future of work (Rutgers)
Energy / environment / infrastructure: ‘Dismal’, ‘depressing’ and ‘seriously dry’: Low snow threatens Colorado River water supply (KJZZ 4/7)
Housing / real estate: America Underbuilt Inc.: The supply side of U.S. housing challenge (FRBSL 4/8)
Commercial real estate: A fire sale has U.S. office buildings going for 90% off (WSJ 4/7)
Mexico/trade: Mexico is in talks with Arizona, federal officials to bring high-speed passenger trains to Tucson (KJZZ 4/6)
Prices/inflation: Inflation soared to 3.3% in March, driven by higher gasoline costs (WSJ 4/10)
Wages/income/wealth: Rethinking the 1990s “EITC success story” (Brookings 4/8)
Workforce/employment/labor market: Women are getting most of the new jobs. What’s going on with men? (NPR 4/10)