US Initial Jobless Claims
Latest release · October 1
197Kweek ending September 26
- Prior (week ending September 19) 198K
- 1-yr high 235K (week ending December 6, 2025)
- 1-yr low 189K (week ending July 18)
Source: FRED · updated October 1
Next release date
October 8, 2026 (Thu)
8:30 AMET
Upcoming releases
- October 15, 2026 (Thu)8:30 AM
- October 22, 2026 (Thu)8:30 AM
- October 29, 2026 (Thu)8:30 AM
- November 5, 2026 (Thu)8:30 AM
- November 12, 2026 (Thu)8:30 AM
- November 19, 2026 (Thu)8:30 AM
Add to my calendarGoogle CalendariPhone · Outlook (.ics)
Release dates and times are set by the issuing agency and can change. · Schedule source: FRED Economic Release Calendar
How markets moved at the last release
Released October 1, 8:30 AM (ET) · change from the price just before
| Market | After 15 min | After 1 hr | 15-min range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | +0.07% | -0.28% | 0.20% |
| Nasdaq 100 futures | -0.04% | -0.19% | 0.11% |
| EUR/USD | -0.01% | -0.04% | 0.07% |
Released at the same time:Unemployment Claims
Change from the close of the 1-minute bar just before the release. Other news and order flow at that moment are in these numbers too, so they can’t be pinned on this release alone. Based on the Merini demo feed (MT5 1-minute bars).
Read alongside: Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) →
Recent history
Actual value| Period | Actual |
|---|---|
| Sep 26 | 197K |
| Sep 19 | 198K |
| Sep 12 | 198K |
| Sep 5 | 207K |
| Aug 29 | 207K |
| Aug 22 | 204K |
Latest revised values from FRED — they can differ from the figure first reported, and the most recent value may be preliminary. Source: FRED · ICSA · Sep 26
Key facts
Initial jobless claims count the number of people filing for unemployment benefits for the first time in a week — a high-frequency labor gauge released every week. It shows shifts in the labor market faster than any other release.
- Released by
- U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)
- Frequency
- Weekly, every Thursday
- Category
- Jobs
- Assets affected
- USD · equity indices
Why the market watches it
Because it comes weekly, it is useful for tracking the labor market between the monthly jobs reports (NFP). A rising trend is read as a cooling labor market.
How traders read it
Weekly numbers are noisy, so traders watch the 4-week moving average for the trend. Direction matters more than a single print.
Want to see the impact for yourself?
The Merini demo opens without an account: watch real-time charts of gold, oil, FX and more around the release (Nasdaq and S&P futures are delayed 10 minutes until you sign up). Sign up free ($10,000 in virtual funds) only when you want to practise trading. In your browser, no install — a paper simulation.
Open the live charts — no sign-upFrequently asked questions
When is the next US Initial Jobless Claims release?
The next US Initial Jobless Claims release is scheduled for October 8, 2026 (Thu) at 8:30 AM US Eastern Time. Following dates: October 15, October 22, October 29.
How often are jobless claims released?
Every Thursday (U.S. time). As a high-frequency series, it complements the monthly jobs report.
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