PrintUS Initial Jobless Claims Rose in Week Ended Jan. 3
BY MT Newswires | ECONOMIC | 01/08/26 08:51 AM EST08:51 AM EST, 01/08/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US initial jobless claims rose to a level of 208,000 in the week ended Jan. 3 from a upwardly revised 200,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for a increase to 212,000 in survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg.
The four-week moving average decreased by 7,250 to 211,750 after increasing by 2,000 to a level of 219,000 in the previous week.
Insured jobless claims went up by 56,000 to 1,914,000 in the week ended Dec. 27.
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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