ZCZC
BCN-32
US-UNEMPLOYMENT
U.S. jobless claims rise last week
WASHINGTON, June 28, 2019 (BSS/Xinhua) – The number of initial jobless
claims in the United States rose last week, according to a report released by
the U.S. Labor Department on Thursday.
In the week ending June 22, the number of people filing for U.S.
unemployment benefits increased by 10,000 to 227,000. Meanwhile, the previous
week’s level was revised up by 1,000 to 217,000.
The four-week moving average of initial claims, a measure which irons out
data volatility, increased by 2,250 to 221,250, while the previous week’s
number was revised up by 250 to 219,000.
As an important leading indicator of the U.S. unemployment status, a lower
reading in jobless claims reflects lower overall layoffs. The latest number
remained below the 300,000 threshold, signaling a tight labor market in the
United States.
For the bigger picture of U.S. labor market, American employers added a
lower-than-expected 75,000 jobs in May, and the unemployment rate remained at
3.6 percent, the lowest level since December 1969, the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics reported on June 7.
BSS/XINHUA/HR/1440