New claims for unemployment benefits ticked up last week, though the total was still lower than the corresponding week last year, the Louisiana Workforce Commission reported today.
Initial claims for the week ending December 2 rose to 1,950 from the previous week’s total of 1,202. For a comparison, during the week ending December 3, 2022, 2,205 initial claims were filed.
The four-week moving average of initial claims increased to 1,741 from the previous week’s average of 1,699.
The unemployment insurance continued claims for the week ending December 2 increased to 12,918 from the prior week’s total of 12,749. The continued claims were above the comparable figure of 11,238 for the week ending December 3, 2022.
The four-week moving average of continued claims increased to 12,770 from the previous week’s average of 12,642.
Nationwide, applications for jobless benefits ticked up last week, but the overall number of people collecting unemployment benefits fell after hitting its highest level in two years last week, The Associated Press reports.
Unemployment benefits claims rose by 1,000 to 220,000 for the week ending December 2, the U.S. Labor Department says. That was in line with analyst expectations.
About 1.86 million were collecting unemployment benefits the week that ended November 25, 64,000 fewer than the previous week. It’s just the second time in 11 weeks that continuing claims have fallen.
