New unemployment claims are compiled weekly to show the number of individuals who filed for unemployment insurance for the first time. An increasing (decreasing) trend suggests a deteriorating (improving) labor market. The four-week moving average of new claims smoothes out weekly volatility. Why Investors Care
| Released on 2/8/07 For wk 2/3 2007 | ||||||||||||
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Highlights
Initial jobless claims rose 3,000 in the Feb. 3 week to 311,000 in results that are close to expectations and not skewed by any special factors in the week. The four-week average rose 3,250 to 308,250. There was no reaction to the data which are consistent with continued moderate growth in the labor market.
Initial jobless claims fell 20,000 in the week ended January 27 to 307,000 pushing the four-week average down 4,500 to 304,750 and its best level in a year. There were no special factors for the data.
Jobless Claims Consensus Forecast for 2/3/07: 312,000
Range: 310,000 to 325,000
![[Chart]](chart.gif)
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Weekly series fluctuate more dramatically than monthly series even when the series are adjusted for seasonal variation. The 4-week moving average gives a better perspective on the underlying trend. |
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