The United States Department of Labor reported on Thursday, November 12, 2026, that initial applications for state unemployment benefits rose modestly during the prior week. For the week ending November 7, seasonally adjusted initial jobless claims increased by 9,000 to reach 200,000, slightly exceeding consensus economist forecasts of 194,000 to 195,000; the previous week's tally was revised upward by 2,000 to 191,000. The Labor Department's four-week moving average remained unchanged at 195,250. Continuing claims fell by 20,000 to 1.697 million for the week ending October 31; the four-week moving average for continuing claims edged down by 1,500 to 1.708 million, while the seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate held steady at 1.1%. One year earlier, initial claims stood at 228,000.
On an unadjusted basis, actual initial claims climbed 16.2% to 206,982, outpacing the 11.0% seasonal increase projected by government models. State-level filings showed increases in California (+5,047), New Jersey (+3,564), and Missouri (+3,029), partially offset by declines in Michigan (-2,996) and Indiana (-616). October's nonfarm payrolls gain was 165,000 jobs and the national unemployment rate was 4.1%.
Financial research platform MLQ.ai noted: "Seasonally adjusted initial claims have stayed between 191,000 and 207,000 every week since mid-August, reinforcing the argument among hawkish Federal Reserve officials that tight labor conditions do not warrant aggressive rate cuts." With core consumer prices rising 0.3% for three consecutive months, Federal Reserve policymakers face growing debate over whether to pause or adjust interest rates at their December 8–9 policy meeting.
The drop of 20,000 to 1.697 million in continuing claims for the week ending October 31 compares with 1.946 million insured unemployed one year earlier; the insured unemployment rate was 1.1%.
