In the week ending October 2, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 326,000, a decrease of 38,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 362,000 to 364,000. The 4-week moving average was 344,000, an increase of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 340,000 to 340,500. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent for the week ending September 25, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the previous week's revised rate. The previous week's rate was ... (full story)

The total of Americans submitting jobless claims fell sharply last week as the enhanced unemployment benefits ended, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Initial filings for unemployment benefits totaled 326,000 for the week ended Oct. 2, below the 345,000 Dow Jones estimate and a drop from the previous week’s 364,000. The numbers came at a time when most pandemic-related programs that extended unemployment benefits are winding down, and amid hopes that declining Covid cases will spark a round of more aggressive hiring heading into the fall. Stock market futures rose slightly following the report, adding to ... (full story)