US: Initial Jobless Claims rose to 215K last week

Initial Jobless Claims increased to 215K vs. the previous week.
Continuing Jobless Claims went up to 1.786M.

Pablo Piovano FXStreet

According to a report from the US Department of Labor (DOL) released on Thursday, the number of US citizens submitting new applications for unemployment insurance increased to 215K for the week ending May 23. The latest print came in above initial estimates and was higher than the previous week’s 210K (revised from 209K).

Additionally, the four-week moving average went up by 6.25K, bringing it to 209K from the revised average of the previous week (202.75K).

The report also indicated that Continuing Jobless Claims increased by 15K to 1.786M for the week ending May 16.

Market reaction

The Greenback trades with marginal gains amid steady uncertainty in the geopolitical landscape, with the US Dollar Index (DXY) navigating the 99.20 area in a context of widespread lack of direction in the risk complex.

Employment FAQs

How do employment levels affect currencies?

Labor market conditions are a key element to assess the health of an economy and thus a key driver for currency valuation. High employment, or low unemployment, has positive implications for consumer spending and thus economic growth, boosting the value of the local currency. Moreover, a very tight labor market – a situation in which there is a shortage of workers to fill open positions – can also have implications on inflation levels and thus monetary policy as low labor supply and high demand leads to higher wages.

Why is wage growth important?

The pace at which salaries are growing in an economy is key for policymakers. High wage growth means that households have more money to spend, usually leading to price increases in consumer goods. In contrast to more volatile sources of inflation such as energy prices, wage growth is seen as a key component of underlying and persisting inflation as salary increases are unlikely to be undone. Central banks around the world pay close attention to wage growth data when deciding on monetary policy.

How much do central banks care about employment?

The weight that each central bank assigns to labor market conditions depends on its objectives. Some central banks explicitly have mandates related to the labor market beyond controlling inflation levels. The US Federal Reserve (Fed), for example, has the dual mandate of promoting maximum employment and stable prices. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank’s (ECB) sole mandate is to keep inflation under control. Still, and despite whatever mandates they have, labor market conditions are an important factor for policymakers given its significance as a gauge of the health of the economy and their direct relationship to inflation.

Author

Pablo Piovano

FXStreet

Born and bred in Argentina, Pablo has been carrying on with his passion for FX markets and trading since his first college years.

AUD/USD stays defensive below 0.7150 after Chinese data

AUD/USD remains on the back foot below 0.7150 in the Asian session on Tuesday, close to an over three-week low touched the previous day. US bond yields hold near multi-year highs ahead of the FOMC meeting and oil-driven inflation risks, supporting the US Dollar and weighing on the currency pair. Mixed Chinese activity data for August also fail to inspire the Aussie.

USD/JPY extends gains toward 155.00 amid USD resurgence

USD/JPY keeps pushing higher toward 155.00 early Tuesday, looking for more upside, as traders await the FOMC and BoJ meetings this week. Meanwhile, Fed rate-hike bets and oil-driven inflation risks keep US bond yields near multi-year highs, supporting the US Dollar and the pair. That said, a more hawkish repricing of the BoJ normalization path might continue to underpin the Japanese Yen and could limit USD/JPY's upside. .

Gold drops further; focus remains on $4,250

Gold adds to Monday’s pessimism and revisits the $4,260 region per troy ounce on Tuesday. The yellow metal’s extra weakness follows another positive day in the US Dollar, mixed US Treasury yields and steady pre-Fed caution.

Dogecoin clings to EMA support as recovery lacks conviction

Dogecoin (DOGE) hovers around $0.083 at the time of writing on Tuesday after finding support around the key support zone the previous day. Quiet institutional demand, along with mixed derivatives positioning, suggests fading interest in the dog-themed meme coin.

Markets slide as FOMC approaches

The US Dollar remains strong as markets turn increasingly cautious ahead of the FOMC. Stocks are tumbling, while Gold and Silver are moving lower under pressure from the stronger Dollar. The Japanese Yen is weaker again, while Crypto is correcting. BTC is approaching a key technical test and could fall below its 50-week moving average, while ETH remains above $2,405.

Venezuela’s 65-billion-barrel Oil deal could reshape America’s inflation fight

The United States (US) has secured unprecedented access to part of Venezuela’s vast Oil reserves. The timing is particularly significant as the war with Iran is disrupting Middle Eastern supplies, keeping energy prices elevated and reviving concerns about inflation.