Initial Unemployment Claims

January 15, 2025 Initial unemployment claims rose 14 thousand in the week ending January 11 to 217 thousand after declining 8 thousand in the previous week.   This series has changed very little in the past nine months.  The 4-week average of claims was 210 thousand...

Payroll Employment

January 10, 2025 Payroll employment climbed by 246 thousand in December after gaining 212 thousand in November.  In the past three months the average increase has been 167 thousand. In addition to hiring workers employers can also alter the length of the workweek for...

Private Employment

January 10, 2025 Private sector employment climbed by 223 thousand in December after gaining 182 thousand in November.  In the past three months the average increase has been 138 thousand. t In addition to hiring workers employers can also alter the length of the...

Unemployment Rate

January 10, 2025 The unemployment rate declined 0.1% in December to 4.1% after having risen 0.1% in November.  In December the labor force rose 243 thousand..  Employment climbed by 478 thousand.  As a result, the number of unemployed workers fell 235 thousand and the...

Nonfarm Workweek

January 10, 2025 In any given month employers can boost output by either additional hiring workers or by lengthening the number of  hours that their employees work.  Payroll employment rose by 246 thousand in December.   At the same time the nonfarm workweek was...

Average Hourly Earnings

January 10, 2025 Average  hourly earnings rose 0.3% in December to $35.69 after  having climbed 0.4% in November.  Earnings growth has slowed from 4.3% at the end of  2023 to 3.9% in 2024.  The earlier decline in earnings appears to reflect the flood of workers from...