US weekly initial jobless claims 197K vs 200K expected - investingLive

These numbers are at generational lows and a reminder that the risk is towards rising inflation/wages rather than unemployment. For background, initial jobless claims measure new applications for unemployment insurance in the United States, providing a timely indication of layoffs and changes in labor market conditions. Published weekly by the Department of Labor, the report is closely watched because it can reveal shifts in employment before monthly payroll and unemployment figures become available. Claims measure applications for benefits, rather than the total number of unemployed people. The prior week’s reading of 197,000 placed claims at a historically low level, suggesting employers remained reluctant to shed workers.