Jobless claims rise slightly, but no sign of trouble brewing in labor market

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Jobless claims rise slightly, but no sign of trouble brewing in labor market
Scarce layoffs keeps unemployment filings low

By Jeffry Bartash
Published: Feb. 6, 2025 at 8:35 a.m. ET

The number of people who applied for unemployment benefits in early February rose slightly, but they remained at very low levels in a sign the labor market is still quite healthy.

New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased by 11,000 to 219,000 in seven days ended Feb. 1, the government said. Anything below 250,000 is an exceptionally good reading.

{paywall}

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Biden economy. tRump train is tearing up track behind itself. . . . nt

[ck4829]

2. Narrator: Trouble is, in fact, already here

[JohnSJ]

3. Just wait.

[Lovie777]

4. I'm sorry..................

but anything coming from the present government is suspect and I shall believe my own eyes and listen to what's going on the ground.

And it ain't pretty.

[justaprogressive]

5. The workers who pick our produce

can't file for unemployment!

[progree]

8. True. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about half of workers are covered by the unemployment insurance

system.
https://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_htgm.htm

As for myself, I pick my own produce every week

when I go grocery shopping.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

6. From the source, the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration:

News Release

Connect with DOL at https://blog.dol.gov

TRANSMISSION OF MATERIALS IN THIS RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
8:30 A.M. (Eastern) Thursday, February 6, 2025

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending February 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 219,000, an increase of
11,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 207,000 to
208,000. The 4-week moving average was 216,750, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average. The
previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 212,500 to 212,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.2 percent for the week ending January 25,
unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured
unemployment during the week ending January 25 was 1,886,000, an increase of 36,000 from the previous week's
revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 8,000 from 1,858,000 to 1,850,000. The 4-week moving
average was 1,872,250, an increase of 2,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was
revised down by 2,000 from 1,872,000 to 1,870,000.

{snip two charts}

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 239,690 in the week ending
February 1, an increase of 11,370 (or 5.0 percent) from the previous week. The seasonal factors had expected a decrease
of 208 (or -0.1 percent) from the previous week. There were 234,729 initial claims in the comparable week in 2024.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.5 percent during the week ending January 25, an increase of
0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted level of insured unemployment in state programs
totaled 2,252,447, an increase of 82,270 (or 3.8 percent) from the preceding week. The seasonal factors had expected an
increase of 38,852 (or 1.8 percent) from the previous week. A year earlier the rate was 1.4 percent and the volume was
2,130,017.

{snip a lot more}

Weekly Claims Archives
Weekly Claims Data

U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The Department's https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/civil-rights-center/internal/reasonable-accomodations-resource-centerReasonable Accommodation
Resource Center] converts Departmental information and documents into alternative formats, which include Braille and large
print. For alternative format requests, please contact the Department at [phone] (voice) or [phone] (federal
relay).

U.S. Department of Labor
Employment and Training Administration
Washington, D.C. 20210
Release Number: USDL 25-170-NAT

Program Contacts:
Lawrence Essien: [phone]
Media Contact: [phone]

[progree]

7. Continuing claims up 4.0% from a year ago. From the source.

https://www.dol.gov/ui/data.pdf

In the week ending February 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 219,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 207,000 to
208,000. The 4-week moving average was 216,750, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average. The
previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 212,500 to 212,750.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.2 percent for the week ending January 25,
unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured
unemployment during the week ending January 25 was 1,886,000, an increase of 36,000 from the previous week's
revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 8,000 from 1,858,000 to 1,850,000. The 4-week moving
average was 1,872,250, an increase of 2,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was
revised down by 2,000 from 1,872,000 to 1,870,000.

Over the past year, seasonally adjusted insured unemployment, also known as continuing claims, increased from 1,813,000 to 1,886,000, an increase of 4.0%. This indicates that it's taking longer for the unemployed to find work.

There are graphs of both at the above link. As well as the non-seasonally adjusted versions.