美国申请失业补助人数创出4个月来新高

美国劳工部于上周三公布的数据显示，截至11月17日当周，首次申请失业救济人数增加3000人至224000人。相比之下，彭博社经济学家的调查显示，中位数估计为215000，并在前一周向上修正到了221000。四周平均值，波动性较小，数据上升至218500。

关键洞察

分析师可能会特别关注这些数据，因为这一周包括本月12日，与美国劳工部截止于12月7日的11月就业报告的调查期起始日一致。这一结果也可能反映了老兵节放假期间的波动，而今年老兵节是在11月12日周一过的。加州的野火可能导致了失业人数的增加，因为通常灾难会引起短期失业人数增加。即便如此，申请失业救济的人数也还在历史低位徘徊，凸显市场对工人的强劲需求，也有助于提升工资。这种良好的状况，以及较低的税收支撑着消费者支出，而这是经济的最大组成部分。延后一周的报告显示，在截至11月10日的一周内，失业保险覆盖的人数下降了2000至167万。这一数据仍然接近自1973年以来的最低点。

更多消息

据美国劳工部称，上周没有任何一个州预测有新的失业救济申请。由于11月22日是全国感恩节放假，申请失业救济人数数据比惯常的每周四提前了一天公布。每周的新申请失业救助的数据往往不稳定，经济学家会经常观察这些数据，以便及时了解劳动力市场是否正常。（财富中文网）

译者：宣峰

Jobless claims increased by 3,000 to 224,000 in the week ended Nov. 17, Labor Department figures showed last Wednesday. That compares with the 215,000 median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists and follows an upwardly revised 221,000 in the prior week. The four-week average, a less-volatile measure, rose to 218,500.

Key Insights

Analysts may pay extra attention to the data because the week included the 12th of the month, which lines up with the survey period for the Labor Department’s November employment report, due Dec. 7. The results may also reflect volatility around the Veterans Day holiday, which was observed on the 12th, a Monday. Wildfires in California could be potentially boosting claims, as disasters are typically associated with a temporary increase. Even with the rise, applications for unemployment benefits are hovering around historically low levels, underscoring strong demand for workers that’s helping to increase wages. Such gains along with lower taxes are supporting consumer spending, the biggest part of the economy. Continuing claims, which are reported with a one-week lag, fell by 2,000 to 1.67 million in the week ended Nov. 10, the report showed. They are still near the lowest since 1973.

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No states had estimated claims last week, according to the Labor Department. The jobless claims data, typically due on Thursday each week, were released a day early because of the national Thanksgiving holiday on Nov. 22.While the weekly claims data tend to be volatile, economists watch these figures for a timely read on the labor market’s health.