A Labor Department report issued Thursday Oct. 8 shows initial claims for unemployment fell 33,000 from the prior week’s revised total to 521,000, the lowest level since the beginning of 2009. This figure was 19k less than the Thomson Reuters survey, giving some cause for hope amid a generally depressed economic outlook.

With the four-week average down to 539,750, there is strong evidence of a recovery in the labor market to many investors. The second lowest point this year being reached, on the graph of this closely watched statistic, indicates too many economists that the propensity for hiring by companies is up and that layoffs are less likely. Nevertheless the unemployment figures are still well-above the accepted 325,000 for initial claims, which signifies a robust economy.

The outstanding number of claimants also fell 1.8%, defying analysts’ expectations of a growing pool of recipients. For the week ending Sept. 19, the total

Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. (GPRE) engages in the construction and operation of dry-mill, fuel-grade ethanol production facilities in the United States. Trading on NASDAQ as part of the Specialty Chemicals industry in the Basic Materials sector, the company has their corporate headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. They are working towards their goal of becoming a vertically integrated, low-cost ethanol producer.

The company operates two plants in Iowa. These two have a combined operating capacity of 110 million gallons of ethanol per year. The processing of corn and/or other biomass produces ethanol. Green Plains is operating one ethanol plant, located in Shenandoah, Iowa. This Shenandoah Plant started producing ethanol on August 23, 2007. They also have another plant in northwestern Iowa near the town of Superior.

Green Plains Renewable Energy also has plans to build other plants at other sites. Their corporate strategy is to further expand their Shenandoah and Superior sites