Legend
- High Impact Expected
- Med Impact Expected
- Low Impact Expected
- Non-Economic
Revision
- Green NumberBetter than forecast -or- revised better
- Red NumberWorse than forecast -or- revised worse
- m/mMonth Over Month
- q/qQuarter Over Quarter
- y/yYear Over Year
- K Thousand
- M Million
- B Billion
- T Trillion
US Unemployment Claims
Although it's generally viewed as a lagging indicator, the number of unemployed people is an important signal of overall economic health because consumer spending is highly correlated with labor-market conditions. Unemployment is also a major consideration for those steering the country's monetary policy;
This is the nation's earliest economic data. The market impact fluctuates from week to week - there tends to be more focus on the release when traders need to diagnose recent developments, or when the reading is at extremes;
- US Unemployment Claims Graph
- History
| Expected Impact / Date | Actual | Forecast | Previous |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 28, 2026 | 215K | 211K |
210K |
| May 21, 2026 | 209K | 210K |
212K |
| May 14, 2026 | 211K | 205K |
199K |
| May 7, 2026 | 200K | 205K |
190K |
| Apr 30, 2026 | 189K | 213K |
215K |
| Apr 23, 2026 | 214K | 211K |
208K |
| Apr 16, 2026 | 207K | 213K |
218K |
| Apr 9, 2026 | 219K | 210K |
203K |
- Details
Specs
Source:
Measures:
The number of individuals who filed for unemployment insurance for the first time during the past week;
Usual Effect:
'Actual' less than 'Forecast' is good for energy prices;
Frequency:
Released weekly, usually on the first Thursday after the week ends;
Also Called:
Jobless Claims, Initial Claims;
Event Type:
Employment