Definition:
A government index that tracks the number of people filing first-time claims for state unemployment insurance.
Importance:
Investors use this indicator’s four-week moving average to predict trends in the labor market. A move of 30,000 or more in claims shows a substantial change in job growth. Remember that the lower the number of claims, the stronger the job market, and vice versa.
Source:
The Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor.
Availability:
Thursday at
Frequency:
Weekly.
Revisions:
Revised figures for the previous week are released each Thursday. The significance of these revisions is moderate.
Raw Data:
http://www.dol.gov/dol/opa/public/media/press/eta/main.htm
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