US Weekly Jobless Claims at 224,000... In Line With Expectations

Continuing Claims at 1.897 Million, Below Expectations

Last week, the number of new unemployment benefit claims in the United States decreased compared to the previous week, in line with market expectations.

A job posting is displayed at a retail store in Vernon Hills, Illinois, USA. Photo by AP Yonhap News Agency

According to the U.S. Department of Labor on December 18 (local time), the number of new unemployment benefit claims for the week of December 7 to 13 was 224,000. This figure represents a decrease of 14,000 from the previous week's 237,000 and matches the market forecast of 224,000.

The number of continuing unemployment benefit claims, which refers to those applying for benefits for more than two weeks, stood at 1,897,000 for the period from November 30 to December 6. This is an increase of 67,000 from the previous week's 1,830,000, but it remains below the market expectation of 1,930,000.

The number of new unemployment benefit claims has shown extreme volatility due to year-end seasonal factors. In the previous week, claims had surged by the largest amount in five years and nine months, but last week, the increase subsided, returning to a favorable level. Unemployment benefit claims are closely watched as an indicator of short-term labor market trends, especially amid recent concerns about a slowdown in employment.