Jobless claims fell to a 5-week low for the week ending November 18th, according to the weekly survey from the Department of Labor
- The advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims fell to 209,000, down 24,000 from the previous week’s revised level and the lowest level in 5 weeks.
- Economists projected a slightly smaller dip to 225k.
Continuing Claims. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending November 11th fell to 1,840,000, down 22,000 from the previous week’s revised level and the first drop in nine weeks.
Big Picture. Despite a slight increase recently, jobless claims remain close to lows for the year. However, continuing claims remain close to the two-year high.