Updated: 12-Dec-24 09:27 ET

Initial Claims for the Week Ended Dec 07

Updated: 12-Dec-24 09:27 ET

Highlights

• Initial jobless claims for the week ending December 7 increased 17,000 to 242,000 (Briefing.com consensus 220,000).
• Continuing jobless claims for the week ending November 30 increased 15,000 to 1.886 million.

Key Factors

• The four-week moving average for initial claims increased by 5,750 to 224,250.
• The four-week moving average for continuing claims increased by 3,500 to 1,888,000. That is the highest level since November 27, 2021.
• The total number of continued weeks claimed for benefits in all programs for the week ending November 23 was 1,688,220, a decrease of 63,269 from the previous week.

Big Picture

• The key takeaway from the report is that initial jobless claims are the highest they have been since mid-October, which will contribute to the belief that the labor market is softening -- a softening the Fed would like to prevent from becoming anything more by lessening its policy restraint.

Category	Dec 7	Nov 30	Nov 23	Nov 16	Nov 9
Initial Claims	242K	225K	215K	215K	219K
4-Wk Moving Avg	224K	219K	218K	218K	222K
Continued Benefits		1886K	1871K	1896K	1898K
4-Wk Moving Avg		1888K	1885K	1888K	1877K