Weekly Initial Jobless Claims decline to 237K vs. 250K expected

• Initial Jobless Claims decreased by 12,000 in the week ending July 8.
• Continuing Jobless Claims rise by 11,000  in the week ending July 1. 
• US Dollar Index hits fresh lows, and then rebounds above 100.30.

Initial Jobless claims totaled 237,000 in the week ending July 8, the weekly data published by the US Department of Labor (DOL) showed on Thursday. The print follows the previous week’s 249,000 (revised from 248,000) and came in below market expectations of 250,000. 

Further details showed that “the 4-week moving average was 246,750, a decrease of 6,750 from the previous week’s revised average.”

Continuing Claims rose by 11,000 in the week ended July 1 to 1.729 million, a reading worse than market estimates of 1.723 million. The four-week moving average was “1,735,250, a decrease of 10,750 from the previous week’s revised average.”

Market reaction: 

Alongside Jobless Claims, the June Produce Price Index (PPI) was released, showing more evidence of inflation slowing down. The US Dollar Index (DXY) hit fresh monthly lows after the reports at 100.12 and then rebounded, trimming a small fraction of recent losses, rising above 100.30.