The advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims the week of February 4, 2012 totaled 358,000, a decrease of 15,000 from 373,000 the week of January 28, 2012. The seasonally adjusted four-week moving average also showed a slight decline, dropping from 377,250 to 366,250.

Insured Unemployment Figures Rise Slightly

In terms of seasonally adjusted unemployment figures, the advance seasonally adjusted unemployment rate the week of January 28, 2012 was 2.8%, a fractional increase from 2.7% the week of January 21, 2012. The advance seasonally adjusted total number of insured unemployed people rose about 2%, from 3.415 million to 3.515 million. However, the four-week moving average decreased about 1%, from 3.531 million to 3.498 million.

Actual Claims Show Higher Total

The actual (unadjusted) number of initial unemployment claims the week of February 4, 2012 was slightly higher at 397,810. However, there was also a slightly larger drop from the previous week’s unadjusted total of 422,287. The advance unadjusted unemployment rate the week of January 28, 2012 was 3.2%, unchanged from the prior week’s unrevised rate.

Fewer Federal Employees File Initial Claims, but More Vets

A total of 1,696 former federal civilian employees filed initial unemployment claims the week of January 28, roughly a 3% drop from 2,172 the prior week. However, there were 2,843 initial claims from newly discharged veterans, a 16% jump from 2,448 the previous week.

California Sees Highest Initial Claims Growth

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending January 28 were in California (+4,571), Washington (+2,795), Florida (+2,293), Texas (+1,485), and Oregon (+1,420), while the largest decreases were in Tennessee (-1,855), Connecticut (-1,523), Oklahoma (-1,353), Alabama (-1,297), and North Carolina (-1,221).

Source: US Department of Labor