• Unemployment claims measure the number of people who are unemployed at a given time.

  • Initial jobless claims represent new jobless claimants.
  • Continuing claims for unemployment benefits are people who continue to receive benefits.
  • This is generally a bad sign for the economy, when a growing number of people who want to work cannot find work.
  • Because weekly jobless claims can be very volatile, many economists track a four-week moving average.