US Initial Jobless Claims Rise in Week Ended April 4

08:41 AM EDT, 04/09/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US initial jobless claims rose to a level of 219,000 in the week ended April 4 from an upwardly revised 203,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for a smaller increase to 210,000 in survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg.

The four-week moving average increased by 1,500 to 209,500 after decreasing by 2,750 to a level of 208,000 in the previous week.

Insured jobless claims declined by 38,000 to 1,794,000 in the week ended March 28, the lowest since the week ended May 11, 2024

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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