In the week ending January 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 213,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 216,000. The 4-week moving average was 220,750, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 221,750. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.2 percent for the week ending January 5, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 5 was 1,737,000, an increase of 18,000 from the previous week's revised level. The ... (full story)

The number of Americans filing applications for jobless benefits unexpectedly fell last week, pointing to sustained labor market strength that should continue to underpin the economy. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits decreased 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 213,000 for the week ended Jan. 12, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Data for the prior week was unrevised. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims rising to 220,000 in the latest week. The Labor Department said only claims for West Virginia were estimated last week. The four-week moving average of initial claims, considered a better ... (full story)