New filings for unemployment benefits are again expected to decline after rising slightly in mid-January as demand for workers remains elevated and a surge in Covid-19 cases from the Omicron variant eases.
Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expect the Labor Department to report that initial jobless claims dropped to 245,000 in the week ended Jan. 29, from 260,000 the prior week.
Jobless claims reached pre-pandemic lows in November after surging to more than 6 million at the onset of the pandemic in early 2020. Claims fell to their lowest level since 1969 in December as businesses held on to more workers in the face of a persistent labor shortage.
The Labor Department will release weekly claims figures on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Economists say low totals for jobless claims are an…
