US Initial Claims December 28th,2013.

Released On 1/2/2014 8:30:00 AM For wk12/28, 2013 Prior Prior Revised Consensus Consensus Range Actual New Claims - Level 338 K 341 K 338.5 K 325.0 K to 350.0 K 339 K 4-week Moving Average - Level 348.00 K 348.75 K 357.25 K New Claims - Change -42 K -39 K -2 K

Highlights Clouded by holiday adjustment issues, initial claims were little changed in the December 28, down 2,000 to 339,000. In an offset, the prior week is revised 3,000 higher to 341,000. The 4-week average is not favorable, up a steep 8,500 to a 357,250 level that is more than 30,000 above the level in late November. Continuing claims are mixed, falling a sharp 98,000 in the latest available data which are for the December 21 week. But the 4-week average is up, at 2.858 million which is nearly 60,000 above the month-ago comparison. The unemployment rate for insured workers is at 2.2 percent for a third straight week, up from 2.1 percent through most of November. The high reading for the 4-week average would be a negative indication for the December jobs report if not for the holiday related volatility. This report won't begin to smooth out for a couple of weeks yet. Source: Bloomberg