- ORIGINAL NEWS
Something strange has been happening with jobless claims numbers lately
- SUMMARY
For the past several weeks, the number of first-time claims for unemployment benefits has remained remarkably stable at exactly 212,000.
This has raised questions about the accuracy of the data.
However, a Labor Department spokesperson has attributed the consistency to seasonal adjustments made to the data, which remove seasonal variations and provide a more accurate reflection of the underlying trend.
Without these adjustments, the number of claims has actually fluctuated significantly, ranging from just over 190,000 to over 215,000.
This suggests that the data is not being manipulated or fabricated.
The spokesperson also explained that new seasonal factors were implemented a month ago, which could account for the increased stability in the data since mid-September 2023.
Experts in the financial industry have speculated that the uniformity in the data could be due to a consistent jobs market, with no major job losses or gains in recent weeks.
Overall, while the steady stream of 212,000 claims may seem unusual, it appears to be the result of seasonal adjustments and general stability in the U.S. jobs market.
- NEWS SENTIMENT CHECK
- Overall sentiment:
positive
Positive
“Calling the state of the U.S. jobs market these days stable seems like an understatement considering the latest data coming out of the Labor Department.”
“Federal Reserve officials watch the weekly claims numbers as part of their broader assessment of the labor market, which has shown surprising resilience as the central bank has tightened monetary policy.”
Negative
“The only week that varied was March 30, with 222,000.”
“Others chimed in as well. “Numbers made up,” one participant on the thread opined, while another said, “Someone’s cooking the books.””