Updated: 05-Nov-26 09:27 ET

Initial Claims for the Week Ended Oct 31

Updated: 05-Nov-26 09:27 ET

Highlights

• Initial jobless claims for the week ending October 31 decreased by 6,000 to 189,000 (Briefing.com consensus: 197,000), which is the lowest level since July.
• Continuing jobless claims for the week ending October 24 increased by 23,000 to 1.718 million.

Key Factors

• The four-week moving average for initial claims decreased 2,250 to 194,750.
• The four-week moving average for continuing claims increased by 1,000 to 1,709,500.
• For the week ending October 17, claims for benefits under all programs increased 8,510 to 1,507,702, compared with 1,756,507 a year earlier.

Big Picture

• The key takeaway from the report is that there simply isn't much layoff activity. That consideration is an offshoot of a demand environment that is still looked at by employers as being quite solid overall.

Category	Oct 31	Oct 24	Oct 17	Oct 10	Oct 3
Initial Claims	189K	195K	195K	200K	198K
4-Wk Moving Avg	195K	197K	198K	199K	198K
Continued Benefits		1718K	1695K	1722K	1703K
4-Wk Moving Avg		1710K	1709K	1710K	1707K