EmailStory Stocks®
Archive
Last Update: 09-Feb-12 09:41 ET
Initial Claims Continue to Showcase Improvement in Labor Market
The initial claims level declined to 358,000 for the week ending February 4 from 373,000 for the week ending January 28. The Briefing.com consensus pegged the initial claims level at 370,000.
The claims data have been fairly volatile as of late as seasonal adjustment factors were having difficulties accounting for end-of-year labor force changes. The four-week moving average, however, has steadily declined from 382,500 for the week ending January 7 to 366,250 this week.
That is the lowest four-week average since April 2008 and signals that improvement in the labor market is picking up speed.
The continuing claims level increased from 3.451 mln for the week ending January 21 to 3.515 mln for the week ending January 28. The consensus expected the continuing claims level to increase to 3.475 mln.
The claims data have been fairly volatile as of late as seasonal adjustment factors were having difficulties accounting for end-of-year labor force changes. The four-week moving average, however, has steadily declined from 382,500 for the week ending January 7 to 366,250 this week.
That is the lowest four-week average since April 2008 and signals that improvement in the labor market is picking up speed.
The continuing claims level increased from 3.451 mln for the week ending January 21 to 3.515 mln for the week ending January 28. The consensus expected the continuing claims level to increase to 3.475 mln.
