Initial Jobless Claims
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Initial claims: 198,000, ↓ 9,000 from the prior week (revised to 207,000)
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Prior week revision: ↓ 1,000 (from 208,000 to 207,000)
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4-week moving average: 205,000, ↓ 6,500 on the week
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Trend signal: Lowest 4-week average since January 20, 2024, highlighting continued labor-market resilience
Continuing Claims
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Insured unemployment rate: 1.2%, unchanged
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Continuing claims: 1.884 million, ↓ 19,000 from the prior week (revised to 1.903 million)
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Prior week revision: ↓ 11,000 (from 1.914 million to 1.903 million)
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4-week moving average: 1.889 million, ↓ 250 on the week
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Trend signal: Stability with mild improvement, no sign of sustained labor-market deterioration
Initial jobless claims track the weekly number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the first time and are one of the most timely indicators of U.S. labor-market health and overall economic momentum. Rising claims can signal increasing job losses and a slowing economy, while declining claims suggest that hiring is outpacing layoffs, pointing to underlying economic strength. Released every Thursday by the U.S
