The number of people filing for unemployment benefits is estimated to have held near five-decade lows last week as firms struggle to remain fully staffed amid a resurgent pandemic.
Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expect Thursday’s Labor Department report to show initial jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, totaled a seasonally adjusted 195,000 for the week that ended Jan. 1. That would keep the four-week average for claims, which smooths out volatility, near last month’s level, the lowest since 1969. The claims data will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Read more on wsj.com