U.S. Weekly Jobless Claims Decline, Insured Unemployment Rises

For the week ending March 1, preliminary seasonally adjusted initial jobless claims totaled 221,000, reflecting a decrease of 21,000 from the previous week's revised level of 242,000.

Despite this decline, the 4-week moving average saw a slight increase of 250, reaching 224,250, compared to the prior week's unrevised average of 224,000.

Insured Unemployment Rate Holds Steady

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.2% for the week ending February 22, the same as the previous week's unrevised rate.

Increase in Insured Unemployment

For the same period, the number of seasonally adjusted insured unemployed individuals increased by 42,000, bringing the total to 1,897,000. This was up from the prior week's revised figure of 1,855,000, which had been adjusted down by 7,000 from the originally reported 1,862,000. The 4-week moving average for insured unemployment also edged up by 2,750, reaching 1,866,000, compared to the revised average of 1,863,250 from the previous week.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

Latest Analysis

CPI and Earnings Set the Tone (18.12.2025)

U.S. stock futures traded mostly flat on Thursday as positioning tightened around November inflation data, expected to show price pressures still running above the Fed’s target.

Detail

U.S. Jobs Market Shows Growing Fatigue

The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report reveals a softening labor market as 2025 concludes. Total nonfarm payrolls grew by a modest 64,000 jobs in November, following an October loss of 105,000. This indicates that employer demand is no longer as strong as it was earlier in the economic cycle.

Detail

Central Bank Signals Keep Assets on Edge (17.12.2025)

Japan’s 10-year government bond yield held near 1.96%, close to an 18-year high, as solid economic readings reinforced expectations that the Bank of Japan could raise rates this week, highlighting a continued shift toward tighter policy.

Detail