New jobless claims remain at "near record lows"

Initial jobless claims continue to hold at near record lows, at a lower-than-expected 267,000 in the September 19 week. The 4-week average is down slightly to 271,750. There are no special factors affecting the report, one that points to tight conditions in labor supply.

Data on continuing claims lag by a week, and the latest week, the September 12 week, covers the sampling period of the monthly employment report and the comparisons are favorable. At 2.242 million, continuing claims are down nearly 25,000 from the August sample week with the 4-week average, now at 2.252 million, down nearly 15,000. The unemployment rate for insured employees is unchanged at a very low 1.7 percent.