180
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Just over 1.5 million Americans filed first-time unemployment claims during the week ending June 13, the U.S. Department of Labor reported this morning. The most recent figure was a 58,000-claim decrease from the previous week, continuing an 11-week trend of lowering initial claims. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones forecasted an increase of 1.3 million claims.
As the COVID-19 pandemic still hammers the U.S. economy, there are signs of a loosening grip, as the four-week moving average continues to trend downward. The moving average came in at 1.8 million claims, a decrease of 234,500 from the previous average. Additionally, the number of Americans on continuing unemployment dipped below 20.5 million, a slight decline of 62,000 from the previous week.