Economics
U.S. Jobless Claims Surge to Three-Month High on Omicron Impact
- Applications jumped by 55,000 to 286,000 in week ended Jan. 15
- Unadjusted for seasonal variations, jobless claims declined
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Applications for U.S. state unemployment insurance surged last week to a three-month high, suggesting that the omicron variant is having a bigger impact on the labor market.
Initial unemployment claims increased by 55,000 to 286,000 in the week ended Jan. 15, Labor Department data showed Thursday. The figure exceeded all estimates in a Bloomberg survey of economists. The report reflects the reference week for January employment data due early next month.