Following last week's surge back over the 300k Maginot Line, the Labor Department print this week is 298k (sigh of relief heard around the world). This is also the week that BLS surveys for the Augsut NFP print. Continuing claims fell once again to 2.500 million - the lowest print since June 2007. So great news... that explains why stocks are fading modestly off the highs in reaction.
Initial Claims back under 300k...
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As Continuing Claims drops to 2.500million - its lowest since June 2007...
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From the DOL:
There were no special factors impacting this week's initial claims. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent for the week ending August 9, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending August 9 was 2,500,000, a decrease of 49,000 from the previous week's revised level. This is the lowest level for insured unemployment since June 16, 2007 when it was 2,453,000. The previous week's level was revised up 5,000 from 2,544,000 to 2,549,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,527,500, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 1,250 from 2,528,250 to 2,529,500.
Those curious about the unadjusted claims, even as one after another company rushes to report mass layoffs whether due to M&A or the 'recovery', here it is: "The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 248,759 in the week ending August 16, a decrease of 20,709 (or -7.7 percent) from the previous week. The seasonal factors had expected a decrease of 9,357 (or -3.5 percent) from the previous week. There were 281,164 initial claims in the comparable week in 2013."
And the full breakdown:
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Chart: Bloomberg
