http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/current.htmDecember 16, 2004 UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending Dec. 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 317,000, a decrease of 43,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 360,000. The 4-week moving average was 337,750, a decrease of 4,500 from the previous week's revised average of 342,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending Dec. 4, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 2.2 percent.
The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 4 was 2,737,000, a decrease of 50,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,787,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,746,250, a decrease of 11,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,757,250.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 371,400 in the week ending Dec. 11, a decrease of 101,003 from the previous week. There were 412,627 initial claims in the comparable week in 2003.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.1 percent during the week ending Dec. 4, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,684,771, a decrease of 193,954 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.6 percent and the volume was 3,287,681.