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 7/12/07 For wk 7/7 2007 | ||||||||||||
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Highlights
Initial jobless claims fell 12,000 to 308,000 in the July 7 week, pushing down the four-week average by 1,500 to 317,750. Initial claims have been declining in recent weeks, pointing to even tighter conditions in the labor market. A special factor in the week, which didn't have much impact on the adjusted total, was layoffs tied to annual retooling in the auto industry.
Treasuries appeared to dip in initial reaction to the data, which were released with an as-expected trade gap. The dollar was little changed following the 8:30 a.m. ET data.
Initial jobless claims Initial jobless claims were little changed in the June 30 week, up 2,000 to a 318,000 level and still consistent with tight conditions in the labor market. The four-week average rose slightly to 318,500.
Jobless Claims Consensus Forecast for 7/7/07: 315,000
Range: 310,000 to 320,000
![[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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