Initial Jobless Claims

What it is

Initial jobless claims count new filings for state unemployment insurance benefits during the week ending the previous Saturday, as reported by the US Department of Labor. Published weekly, usually on Thursday at 8:30 ET (earlier in the week when a federal holiday falls on Thursday), it is one of the timeliest US labour-market indicators.

Why it matters to traders

Because it is weekly, the series gives the freshest read on labour-market stress. Single weeks are noisy (holidays, seasonal-adjustment quirks and state-level events can swing them), so traders often look at the four-week moving average and at continuing claims to judge whether layoffs are building. A sustained upward trend in claims points to a softening labour market. A steady or falling trend suggests layoffs remain contained.

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