Earlier today, the Labor Department released its weekly report on New Jobless Insurance Claims for the week that ended on February 4, 2017:
Predicted: 250,000
Actual: 234,000
The yellow-highlighted figure represents the number of first-time claims for unemployment benefits for the entire United States. The "predicted" figure is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.
- Last Week (unrevised): 246,000
- 4-Week Moving Average: 244,250
========
From today's report:
"...This is the lowest level for this average since November 3, 1973 when it was 244,000..."