97 Consecutive Weeks of Initial Claims Below 300,000! (But 91 Consecutive MONTHS of Wage Growth Below 3%!)

The headlines scream ’97 consecutive weeks of initial claims below 300,000!’
In the week ending January 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 247,000, an increase of 10,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised up by 2,000 from 235,000 to 237,000. The 4-week moving average was 256,500, a decrease of 1,750 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised up by 1,500 from 256,750 to 258,250.
There were no special factors impacting this week’s initial claims. This marks 97 consecutive weeks of initial claims below 300,000, the longest streak since 1970.
The last week of initial jobless claims of above 300,000 was in February 2015. That make 97 consecutive weeks of initial claims below 300,000.

This post was published at Wall Street Examiner by Anthony B. Sanders ‘ January 12, 2017.