- by New Deal democrat
Initial jobless claims rose 21,000 to 218,000, continuing above the recent 50+ year low of 166,000 set in March. The 4 week average also rose by 8,250 to 199,500, compared with the all-time low of 170,500 set six weeks ago. On the other hand, continuing claims declined another -25,000 to 1,317,000, yet another new 50 year low (but still well above their 1968 all-time low of 988,000):
Initial claims have trended slightly higher over the past 2 months, which, while it shows some cooling in the white hot employment market, is nowhere near a cause for concern at this point. This continues to be the brightest spot in the entire economy.
