Weekly Unemployment Claims (every Thursday)
Last week’s unemployment figures were posted early this morning, revealing 189,000 new claims for jobless benefits were made. This was lower than forecasts of 197,000 and their lowest total since July, which also was the smallest number since 1969. A number that low is a sign the employment sector is holding its own, making the data bad news for the bond market and mortgage rates. Fortunately, the selling in stocks and shift of funds into bonds as a safe-haven are allowing bond traders to ignore this report.