US: Initial Jobless Claims rose to 215K last week

According to a report from the US Department of Labor (DOL) released on Thursday, the number of US citizens submitting new applications for unemployment insurance increased to 215K for the week ending May 23. The latest print came in above initial estimates and was higher than the previous weeks 210K (revised from 209K).

Additionally, the four-week moving average went up by 6.25K, bringing it to 209K from the revised average of the previous week (202.75K).

The report also indicated that Continuing Jobless Claims increased by 15K to 1.786M for the week ending May 16.

Market reaction

The Greenback trades with marginal gains amid steady uncertainty in the geopolitical landscape, with the US Dollar Index (DXY) navigating the 99.20 area in a context of widespread lack of direction in the risk complex.

Employment FAQs

Labor market conditions are a key element to assess the health of an economy and thus a key driver for currency valuation. High employment, or low unemployment, has positive implications for consumer spending and thus economic growth, boosting the value of the local currency. Moreover, a very tight labor market – a situation in which there is a shortage of workers to fill open positions – can also have implications on inflation levels and thus monetary policy as low labor supply and high demand leads to higher wages.

The pace at which salaries are growing in an economy is key for policymakers. High wage growth means that households have more money to spend, usually leading to price increases in consumer goods. In contrast to more volatile sources of inflation such as energy prices, wage growth is seen as a key component of underlying and persisting inflation as salary increases are unlikely to be undone. Central banks around the world pay close attention to wage growth data when deciding on monetary policy.

The weight that each central bank assigns to labor market conditions depends on its objectives. Some central banks explicitly have mandates related to the labor market beyond controlling inflation levels. The US Federal Reserve (Fed), for example, has the dual mandate of promoting maximum employment and stable prices. Meanwhile, the European Central Banks (ECB) sole mandate is to keep inflation under control. Still, and despite whatever mandates they have, labor market conditions are an important factor for policymakers given its significance as a gauge of the health of the economy and their direct relationship to inflation.