Unexpected surge! The number of initial jobless claims in the U.S. last week hit a two-month high, and investors are closely monitoring subsequent data

According to the Zhitong Finance APP, data released by the U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday showed that the number of initial jobless claims in the U.S. unexpectedly rose to 242,000 for the week ending December 7, the highest level in two months, exceeding the expected 221,000. This increase not only surpassed the previous value of 225,000 but also indicates potential instability in the labor market, which is bearish for the U.S. dollar. The rise in this data may suggest that the labor market is weakening, drawing the attention of policymakers and investors.

The number of initial jobless claims serves as an early indicator of employment conditions, and its unexpected increase has impacted the market. This continuous upward trend may signal a rise in the unemployment rate, which could have significant implications for the U.S. economy.

Although the impact of this data on the market varies weekly, this week's figures were above expectations, surprising many as they may reflect weakness in the labor market.

While it is still early to assess the long-term impact of the unexpected increase in initial jobless claims, the data in the coming weeks will undoubtedly be worth close attention. If this upward trend continues, policy intervention may be needed to stabilize the labor market and mitigate potential negative impacts on the U.S. dollar.

In this context, investors, economists, and policymakers will eagerly await the next set of unemployment claims data for more positive signals.

The number of continuing jobless claims rose to 1.89 million in the previous week (including the Thanksgiving holiday). The number of continuing jobless claims has hovered at the highest level in three years for nearly two months, indicating that unemployed individuals are taking longer to find jobs. The employment report released last week for November also showed an increase in the number of workers unemployed for three months or longer, with the overall unemployment rate rising to 4.2%.

It is worth mentioning that the U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) in November increased by 3% year-on-year, exceeding the expected 2.6%, with the previous value revised up from 2.4% to 2.6%.

Following the release of U.S. economic data, market participants increased their expectations for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates next year, leading to a narrowing of declines in U.S. short-term interest rate futures, while spot gold prices dipped to $2,700 per ounce, down 0.65% on the day