According to our analysis USDJPY and EURUSD moved 28 pips on US Jobless Claims data on 2 January 2025.

USDJPY (28 pips)

Charts are exported from JForex (Dukascopy).

Weekly Unemployment Insurance Claims: Key Takeaways from the Latest Report

The latest release from the U.S. Department of Labor on unemployment insurance claims, which was embargoed until 8:30 a.m. (Eastern) on January 2, 2025, sheds light on the current labor market conditions as the year begins. The data provides an overview of initial and continued claims, reflecting overall economic trends and providing an indicator of job market stability.

Initial Claims: A Positive Trend

For the week ending December 28, the seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment insurance dropped to 211,000, marking a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 220,000. This decline in initial claims indicates a promising trend for job seekers and signals a reduction in layoffs and firings.

It is worth noting that the previous week’s claims were adjusted upward by 1,000 from the originally reported 219,000. Despite this revision, the overall decrease in new claims suggests resilience in the labor market.

4-Week Moving Average: Stability in the Trend

The 4-week moving average, a more stable indicator that smooths out weekly volatility, decreased by 3,500 to 223,250. This figure is down from the revised average of 226,750 from the previous week. The modest but steady downward trend in the moving average indicates that the labor market has maintained relative stability over the past month.

Insured Unemployment Rate: Slight Decline

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate for the week ending December 21 fell by 0.1 percentage point to 1.2%. This insured unemployment rate measures the proportion of the labor force currently receiving unemployment benefits and is a key indicator of sustained employment levels.

Continued Claims: Encouraging Decrease

The advance number of seasonally adjusted insured unemployment claims—often referred to as "continued claims"—for the week ending December 21 was 1,844,000, reflecting a decrease of 52,000 from the revised figure of 1,896,000 for the previous week. This decrease in continued claims is another positive sign of improving employment prospects.

The previous week’s continued claims were revised downward by 14,000 from 1,910,000 to 1,896,000. Such downward revisions can reflect better-than-expected retention in the workforce and highlight corrections based on updated data.

4-Week Moving Average of Continued Claims

Similarly, the 4-week moving average of continued claims decreased by 6,750 to 1,870,750. This represents a slight improvement from the revised average of 1,877,500 from the previous week. The consistent downward trend over recent weeks further underscores the broader labor market’s ability to absorb job losses and maintain employment growth.

What This Means for the Economy

The latest data on unemployment claims indicates that the job market remains strong despite economic uncertainties. Declining initial and continued claims suggest that layoffs are minimal and that workers who lose their jobs are able to find new employment relatively quickly.

This trend aligns with broader economic indicators that suggest continued growth in the labor market as 2025 begins. While external factors such as inflation and global economic conditions may pose risks, the sustained decrease in unemployment claims points to a healthy job market that supports economic resilience.

Looking Ahead

As the economy moves into the new year, economists and policymakers will closely monitor labor market data to gauge the effects of monetary policies and broader economic shifts. For job seekers, these figures provide a hopeful outlook, indicating that employment opportunities remain abundant.

The next report on unemployment claims will provide further insight into whether this trend continues or shifts. For now, the data shows a labor market that continues to stabilize and strengthen after a year of navigating economic uncertainties.

Stay tuned for future updates as we track key employment trends and what they mean for the broader economy.

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

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