Initial Claims increased to 474,000 for the week ending 12/05, more than the expected increase to 464,200, following a decrease to 457,000 the previous week. The 4-week moving average was 473,750, a decrease of 7,750 from the previous week’s revised average. Seasonally adjusted insured unemployment from the prior week, ending on 11/28, was 5,157,000, a decrease of 303,000 from the preceding week’s revised level of 5,460,000. Seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate from the week ending on 11/28, was 4.1%, a 0.2% decrease from the previous week’s revised figure.
The Trade Deficit decreased by $2.8 billion to $32.9 billion in October from a revised figure of $35.7 billion for September. October exports increased by $3.5 billion to $133.4 billion, slightly offset by the increase in imports by $0.7 billion to $169.0 billion. The Commerce Department provided the October figures of the trade balance of the U.S. relative to selected trading partners, in billions of dollars, with surpluses in Hong Kong ($1.6), Australia ($1.3), Singapore ($0.9), and Egypt ($0.4). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China ($22.7), OPEC ($5.8),the European Union ($4.9), Mexico ($4.6), Japan ($4.4), Canada ($2.0),Venezuela ($1.7), Nigeria ($1.4), Taiwan ($0.7), and Korea ($0.5).
Upcoming Releases
Treasury Budget (12/10 at 2:00 PM EST)
Retail Sales (12/11 at 8:30 AM EST)
Business Inventories (12/11 at 10:00 AM EST)
PPI (12/15 at 8:30 AM EST)
