The latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor shows that 1.818 million people are still receiving unemployment benefits.
This is slightly higher than the forecast (1.810M) and above the previous reading.
What this tells us
Continuing jobless claims measure how many people remain unemployed and continue to claim benefits after the first week. A small rise like this suggests the labor market is a bit softer than expected.
Market impact
Slightly negative for the USD
Can create short-term volatility in forex, gold, and indices
Traders may watch this closely along with other economic data for direction
Not a major shock, but an important signal that the job market is showing mild weakness compared to expectations.