WASHINGTON — Initial claims for state unemployment were unchanged at 479,000 in the Oct. 25 week, slightly higher than the 475,000 level expected, the Labor Department reported yesterday.
Seasonal factors had been expected to push unadjusted claims to 6.6%, or roughly 27,300, in the return week from the Columbus Day holiday. Initial unadjusted claims actually rose 27,617 to 443,728 in the Oct. 25 week. Unadjusted claims were 303,357 a year ago.
A Labor Department analyst reported that the aftereffects of Hurricane Ike in September added 7,500 to unadjusted claims in Texas in the week. The analyst said this figure is likely to be near the tail end of the hurricane effect on unadjusted claims. There were no states that provided initial claims estimates for the Oct. 25 week.
The previous week’s initial claims level was revised to 479,000 from the previously reported 478,000 level.
The level of continuing claims fell 12,000 to 3.715 million in the Oct. 18 survey week. This level is 172,000 higher than the 3.543 million reported in the Sept. 13 survey week.
— Market News International
