US initial jobless claims rose modestly by 10,000 to 200,000 in the week ending May 2, slightly above expectations of 199,000. Despite this increase, claims levels remain historically low.
The basic trends in the data were broadly stable. The four-week moving average of initial claims fell by -4,500 to 203,250, which helped smooth out weekly volatility and reinforce the view that layoffs remain relatively under control.
Continuing claims also improved modestly, falling by -10K to 1.766 million in the week ending April 25.
| index | former | Latest | anticipation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial unemployment claims | 190 thousand | 200 thousand | 199k |
| Continuing claims | 1.776m | 1.766m | — |
