US jobless claims changed little last week, with about 268,000 filing for benefits versus the previous week's revised level of 269,000, according to Labor Department figures on Thursday which continued to reflect dynamic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th November, 2021) US jobless claims changed little last week, with about 268,000 filing for benefits versus the previous week's revised level of 269,000, according to Labor Department figures on Thursday which continued to reflect dynamic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
"In the week ending November 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 268,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level," the department said in a news release. "This is the lowest level for initial claims since March 14, 2020 when it was 256,000."
The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 to 269,000 from 267,000, it said.
The four-week moving average for claims, meanwhile, fell by 5,750 to 272,750, also marking a pandemic-era low, the Labor Department added.
Economists polled by US media had anticipated 260,000 filings for last week.
Nearly two years into the COVID-19 crisis, restoring job growth remains one of the main concerns of US policymakers.
The United States lost more than 21 million jobs between March and April 2020, at the height of business lockdowns forced by the coronavirus. At least 5 million of those jobs have yet to return, officials say.
The American economy itself shrank 3.5% in 2020. Growth this year has been spotty, with an annualized 3.5% expansion in the first quarter, 3.6% in the second and 2% in the third.
