The number of jobless claims in the US declined last week, signaling continued strength in the labor market despite growing recession concerns fueled by President Donald Trump’s trade policies.
Data from the US Department of Labor, released on Thursday, showed that initial jobless claims fell by 9,000 to 215,000 in the week ending April 12, marking the lowest level in two months.
Economists had forecasted claims to reach 225,000, up from the previous week’s revised total of 224,000, which was adjusted higher by 1,000.
The four-week moving average, which provides a more accurate gauge of labor market conditions, also dropped by 2,500 claims to 220,750, down from the previous week’s revised average of 223,250.
Jobless claims are a key indicator of labor market health, and if the trade war begins to weigh on the US economy, a rise in layoffs and unemployment would be among the first signs.
|
Weekly Jobless Claims |
||||
|
Item |
Last Year |
Last Week |
Current Week |
Change |
|
Initial Claims ('000) |
211 |
224 |
215 |
9 |
|
4-Week Average ('000) |
215.5 |
223.25 |
220.75 |
2.5 |
|
No. of Beneficiaries (mln) |
1.79 |
1.84 |
1.85 |
0.041 |
Comments {{getCommentCount()}}
Be the first to comment
رد{{comment.DisplayName}} على {{getCommenterName(comment.ParentThreadID)}}
{{comment.DisplayName}}
{{comment.ElapsedTime}}