Jobless Claims Rose to 200,000 for a Ninth Straight Week at or Below That Line, and Housing Is Frozen Without Layoffs
Key Takeaways Initial jobless claims rose 9,000 to 200,000 in the week ending November 7, 2026, above the 195,000 economists polled by Reuters had forecast, the Labor Department reported November 12. That makes nine straight weeks at or below 200,000, and the four-week average held unchanged at 195,250. Continuing claims fell 20,000 to 1,697,000 in the week ending October 31, and the insured unemployment rate held at 1.1%. Home sales just fell to their lowest pace since August 2010 while layoffs stayed this low, so the freeze is a rate problem, not a jobs problem, and that changes what a beginner investor should watch. The number of Americans filing a new claim for unemployment benefits rose last week, and it still was not high. Reuters reported the Labor Department's weekly claims release on November 12: initial claims rose 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 200,000 for the week ended November 7. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 195,000 claims for the latest week. The prior ...