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Virginia Tech finance professor Derek Klock
BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - The latest federal unemployment report shows the number of new jobless claims is the lowest it's been since the pandemic began.
Virginia Tech finance professor Derek Klock says this is a good indicator of a strong economic rebound.
He says retail sales, likely helped by the latest round of stimulus checks, are trending upward.
He expects to see positive economic growth each month moving forward.
"It's really, I think, the beginning of the end and we should see some really good growth numbers in the second quarter, third quarter this year. I think we should see some continued improvement in the unemployment rate, in the labor participation rate," said Klock.
Klock notes the unemployment rate in the Roanoke Valley has been around 5% for the past six months.
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