Released on 4/21/2011 for the week of 4/16/2011
Initial Jobless Claims rose by 27,000 dollars in the week of April 9th reaching a total of 412,000 claims.
Why should investors care?
Jobless claims are a compilation of weekly unemployment insurance filings by individuals who are filing for the first time. The ebb and flow of these number suggest and improving or declining labor market. Plain and simple – jobless claims are an easy way to measure the strength of the job market..
Weekly series fluctuate more dramatically than monthly series even when the series are adjusted for seasonal variation. The 4-week moving average gives a better perspective on the underlying trend.