US Initial Jobless Claims Fall in Week Ended Nov. 15

08:45 AM EST, 11/20/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US initial jobless claims fell to a level of 220,000 in the employment survey week ended Nov. 15 from a 228,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for a decrease to 227,000 in survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:35 am ET.

Initial claims were at a level of 232,000 in the employment survey week ended Oct. 18.

The four-week moving average fell by 3,000 to 224,250 after rising by 2,000 to a level of 227,500 in the previous week.

Insured jobless claims rose by 28,000 to 1,974,000 in the week ended Nov. 8, the highest since the week ended Nov. 6, 2021.

The weekly initial jobless claims data released by the US Labor Department measures filings for unemployment insurance benefits. Initial filings are reported through the previous Saturday, while those already on benefits are measured with a one-week lag.

A decrease in claims suggests a stronger labor market, a positive for the US economy and stocks, but a negative for bonds as it suggests wage growth that could lead to inflation.

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