(The Center Square) - Unemployment claims in Oklahoma increased in all reporting categories the last week in July, data from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission shows.
Unadjusted initial claims were up to 3,478 during the week ending on July 30, an increase of 997 from the previous week’s level of 2,254 unadjusted initial claims, OESC said.
The four-week moving average increased by 433 – from 2,254 to 2,687 – during the same week, according to OESC.
Smaller increases were observed in the unadjusted number of continued claims, which totaled 11,455. That’s up by 12 from the previous week’s number of 11,443, OESC said.
The four-week moving average of continued claims increased by 157, according to OESC, from 11,054 to 11,211, during the week ending July 30.
“This week’s larger-than-usual increase in initial claims is primarily due to the volatility of the weekly claims numbers,” said OESC Executive Director Shelley Zumwalt. “OESC continues to watch the cyclical trends occurring nationwide in order to respond to changes in statewide unemployment numbers with resources and support for Oklahomans.”
Zumwalt said trends still indicated that unemployment numbers were steady based on a relatively stable four-week moving average for continued claims.
“As we know, the four-week averages are more accurate indicators of the state’s unemployment,” said Zumwalt.
Nationally, the U.S. saw an increase in seasonally-adjusted initial unemployment claims during the week ending on Aug. 6. The number of people who filed claims that week was 262,000 – up 14,000 from the previous week’s revised level, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The four-week moving average also increased nationally by 4,500.
via Oklahoma's Center Square News