New unemployment claims are
compiled weekly to show the
number of individuals who
filed for unemployment
insurance for the first time.
An increasing (decreasing)
trend suggests a
deteriorating (improving)
labor market. The four-week
moving average of new claims
smoothes out weekly
volatility. The Unemployment
Insurance Program provides
unemployment benefits to
eligible workers who are
unemployed through no fault
of their own, and meet other
eligibility requirements of
state law.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
Measured: Weekly
