Initial Jobless Claims Declined by 22,000 in Week Ending May 13

Washington, DC, May 18, 2023-In the week ending May 13, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 242,000, a decrease of 22,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level of 264,000, according to the Department of Labor. The four-week moving average was 244,250, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 245,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.2% for the week ending May 6, unchanged from the previous week’s unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending May 6 was 1,799,000, a decrease of 8,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised down by 6,000 from 1,813,000 to 1,807,000. The 4-week moving average was 1,812,500, a decrease of 15,500 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised down by 1,500 from 1,829,500 to 1,828,000.