Updated: 21-Aug-25 09:14 ET

Initial Claims for the Week Ended Aug 16

Updated: 21-Aug-25 09:14 ET

Highlights

• Initial jobless claims for the week ending August 16 increased by 11,000 to 235,000 (Briefing.com consensus: 222,000).
• Continuing jobless claims for the week ending August 9 increased by 30,000 to 1.972 million, which is the highest level since November 6, 2021.

Key Factors

• The four-week moving average for initial claims increased by 4,500 to 226,250.
• The four-week moving average for continuing claims increased by 6,500 to 1,954,500.
• The total number of continued weeks claimed for benefits in all programs for the week ending August 2 was 2,005,755, a decrease of 26,321 from the previous week and compared to 1,907,365 in the comparable week a year ago.

Big Picture

• The key takeaway from the report is that it covers the period in which the survey for the August employment report is completed. The jump in initial and continuing claims is apt to keep economists' nonfarm payroll estimates in a soft growth zone.

Category	Aug 16	Aug 9	Aug 2	Jul 26	Jul 19
Initial Claims	235K	224K	227K	219K	217K
4-Wk Moving Avg	226K	222K	221K	221K	225K
Continued Benefits		1972K	1942K	1968K	1936K
4-Wk Moving Avg		1955K	1948K	1950K	1947K