In the week ending January 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 207,000, an increase of 7,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 198,000 to 200,000. The 4-week moving average was 204,500, an increase of 4,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 199,250 to 199,750. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.3 percent for the week ending December 25, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured ... (full story)

Initial claims for unemployment insurance ended 2021 on a sour note, rising more than expected at a time when the omicron variant spread rapidly through the U.S., the Labor Department reported Thursday. Jobless claims totaled 207,000 for the week ended Jan. 1, a bit higher than the 195,000 forecast and up 7,000 from the previous period. Still, the latest data shows claims are still well-anchored around a level that is even lower than before the Covid-19 pandemic, when claims were averaging around 215,000. The four-week moving average, which accounts for weekly volatility in the numbers, nudged higher to 204,500 for ... (full story)