US Initial Jobless ClaimsThe business cycle tells me that we are much closer to a very important top in markets than a very important bottom. Again, while price can melt-up from here, it does not make this a low risk entry point. Quite the contrary.by Badcharts1
U.S. Initial Jobless Claims (Updated Chart with todays release)U.S Initial Jobless Claims Rep: 187k ✅ Lower Than Expected ✅ Exp: 207k Prev: 203k (revised up from 202k) A positive release today with initial claims coming in much lower than expected. Chart Trend We are very close to taking out the lows from Oct 2022 at 180k claims on the chart. Importantly these charts do not update with revised figures and factoring in revised data the low was 167k in April 2022 (a little earlier and a little lower). In any event these sorts of lows in Initial Claims have not been seen since May 1969. Recession Watch The chart below has min, avg and max levels on the bottom left to illustrate the levels we would need to hit for increased recession risk. Right now this chart has not demonstrated increased risk. We need be careful and watch for the average increase of 71k pre recession as illustrated on the chart. Lets see what next months reading informs. Continuous Claims up Next 💪🏻by PukaChartsUpdated 117
Understanding Initial Jobless Claims as a Market IndicatorIntroduction In the complex and multifaceted world of economic indicators, initial jobless claims hold a special place. As a measure of the number of individuals filing for unemployment benefits for the first time, this statistic offers a real-time glimpse into the health of the labor market, which in turn is a vital component of the overall economic landscape. This article delves into how initial jobless claims function as an indicator and their impact on the financial markets. Understanding Initial Jobless Claims Initial jobless claims refer to claims filed by individuals seeking to receive unemployment benefits after losing their job. These are reported weekly by the U.S. Department of Labor, providing a timely snapshot of labor market conditions. A lower number of claims typically signifies a strong job market, suggesting that fewer people are losing their jobs. Conversely, an increase in claims can indicate a weakening labor market, often a precursor to broader economic downturns. Initial Jobless Claims as an Economic Indicator Health of the Labor Market: The primary significance of initial jobless claims is its reflection of the labor market's health. A steady, low number of claims often correlates with job growth and declining unemployment rates, indicating a robust economy. Leading Indicator for the Economy: As a leading economic indicator, jobless claims can provide early signals about the direction of the economy. Spikes in claims can forewarn of economic contraction, while consistent decreases might indicate economic expansion. Consumer Spending: Since employment directly affects consumer income, initial jobless claims can also indirectly signal changes in consumer spending, a major driver of economic growth. Impact on Financial Markets Market Sentiment: Traders and investors closely watch initial jobless claims to gauge market sentiment. Fluctuations in these numbers can lead to immediate reactions in the stock, bond, and forex markets. Monetary Policy Implications: Central banks, like the Federal Reserve, consider labor market conditions when setting monetary policy. Rising jobless claims can lead to a more dovish policy stance (like lowering interest rates), while decreasing claims might justify tightening policies. Sector-Specific Implications: Certain sectors are more sensitive to changes in jobless claims. For instance, a rise in claims can negatively impact consumer discretionary stocks but might be favorable for defensive sectors like utilities or healthcare. Analyzing the Data Understanding initial jobless claims requires context. Seasonal factors, temporary layoffs, and unique economic events (like a pandemic) can skew data. Analysts often look at the four-week moving average to smooth out weekly volatilities for a clearer trend. Conclusion In conclusion, initial jobless claims serve as a crucial barometer for the economy and financial markets. Investors, policy makers, and economists alike monitor these figures for insights into labor market trends and the broader economic picture. As with any indicator, it's essential to consider jobless claims in conjunction with other data to fully understand the economic landscape. Educationby AlgoAlpha6
Macro Monday 9~ Initial Jobless Claims MACRO MONDAY 9 Initial Jobless Claims Historical Analysis and Important upcoming levels Initial claims are new jobless claims filed by U.S. workers seeking unemployment compensation, included in the unemployment insurance weekly claims report. "Initial claims" refers to the government report on the number of workers applying for unemployment benefits for the first time following job loss First-time jobless claims can be a useful leading indicator because elevated numbers tend to lead to further economic weakness, and to decline ahead of a recovery Initial claims show the recent layoffs trend and does not a full picture of the labor market however it can provide more frequent data points indicating the trend in layoffs based on the recent decisions of U.S. employers. The layoffs trend can be particularly telling at economic turning points. With that in mind lets look at the chart and its historic patterns. The Chart The chart looks complicated but is incredibly simple and can be summarised as follows. - Recessions are in red - Increases to Initial Jobless Claims prior to recessions are in blue - It is clear that prior to recessions Jobless Claims typically increase but for how long and by what amount? - The min/max increase in claims prior to recession is between 35k - 127k - The min/max timeframe of increasing claims prior to recession is 7 - 23 months - The average of the above is a 71k claims increase over a 14 month period. - At present we are below that average at 49k increase over 11 months @ 230,000 claims. - I have set out levels on the chart for us to monitor going forward in line with the min and max claims amounts and timelines as above. We can monitor these levels on trading view going forward just by pressing play and seeing if we are nearing or hitting the indicative levels. - Once we reach the average increase amount at 252k or the average timeline of 14 months in Nov 2023, we are entering into higher risk recession territory. Currently, the max increase in claims prior to recession is projected to be at the level of 308,000 (based on historic claims) and the max timeframe is out to Aug 2024 (based on historic timeframes) thus indicating that between Nov 2023 and Aug 2024, subject to continued increasing initial claims (above the average level of 252,000) it is probable that there will be a recession within this time window (Not guaranteed). If initial claims fall below their recent low of 200,000 I believe this might invalidate the possibility of a recession or at least have a significant lagging effect on time horizon. At present this outcome seems unlikely but anything is possible and we can monitor this on an ongoing basis. The current yield curve inversion on the 2/10 year Treasury Spread provided advance warning of recession/capitulation prior to all of the above recessions however it provided us a wide 6 - 22 month window of time from the time the yield curve made its first definitive turn back up to the 0% level (See Macro Monday 2). September will be the 6th month of that 6 – 22 month window and thus we are closing in on dangerous territory very fast. From reviewing initial jobless claims we can see how from Nov 2023 we are stepping into a higher risk zone on this chart also (subject to continued higher increases in claims). Should we have claims higher than the average of 252,000 we will be confirming another step towards a higher risk of a recession. Factoring in yield curve inversion and the initial jobless claims we could consider the months of Sept-Oct 2023 as Risk level 1 (yield curve inversion time window opens) and Nov-Dec 2023 as stepping into a higher Risk Level 2 (Jobless claims average timeframe hit). Should the yield curve continue to move up towards being un-inverted and should Jobless Claims increase then Jan 2024 forward could be considered a higher Risk level 3. Adding to the above concerns is that M2 Money supply is still reducing (Macro Monday 8) and Global Net Liquidity is continuing to reduce (Macro Monday 4) as the S&P 500 is hitting a major resistance zone when accounting for M2 money supply (Macro Monday 8). At present it is clear that liquidity is reducing both globally and in the US. Currently fiscal stimulus appears to be filling the gaps and may be causing additional lagging effects to the changes we have seen imposed by Federal Reserve (balance sheet reduction and increased interest rates). Keep in mind that the Fed is also targeting higher unemployment to help quell the effects of inflation thus adding to the relevance of the Initial Jobless Claims numbers. Continued jobless claims are another metric that is not covered here today. Continued Jobless Claims accounts for the continuation of claims over a time period, thus indicating that those workers who made the first “Initial claims” have remained unemployed thereafter and have not managed to get new work. We might cover this in a future Macro Monday. Let me know if you want it sooner than later? We need all the help we can find in managing risk going forward and I hope all these charts can help you with that. We can monitor all these charts on my trading view just by pressing play and seeing where things are going. Regardless ill be providing updates along the way. Be safe out there PUKA by PukaChartsUpdated 3737 1 K
How Safe Is Your Job?Everyone is wondering when the FED is going to cut rates. My answer: Q1 24' the rate environment should see a major shift Increasing waves of layoffs are most likely on the way. The question employees should be asking is: How safe is my job?by Heartbeat_Trading9