| Source |
Department of Labor (latest release) |
|
| Measures |
The number of individuals who filed for unemployment insurance for the first time during the past week; |
|
| Usual Effect |
Actual < Forecast = Good for currency; |
|
| Frequency |
Released weekly, 5 days after the week ends; |
|
| Next Release |
Jul 19, 2012 |
|
| SLBFX Notes |
This is the nation's earliest economic data. The market impact fluctuates from week to week - there tends to be more focus on the release when traders need to diagnose recent developments, or when the reading is at extremes; |
|
| Why Traders Care |
Although it's generally viewed as a lagging indicator, the number of unemployed people is an important signal of overall economic health because consumer spending is highly correlated with labor-market conditions; |
|
| Also Called |
Jobless Claims, Initial Claims; |
|
| |