Claims are pretty much as expected in the latest week at 222K, up 6K from the previous week's revised 216K (previously 215k). The latest figure is not far from the expected 220K.

The four-week moving average is down 750 to 220,250, down from the revised 221K (previously 220.750).

The insured unemployment rate is 1.2 percent for the previous week ending April 12, flat from the previous week. Insured unemployment during the week ending April 12 is 1,841,000, down 37,000 from the previous week.

Claims seem to be seesawing around the four-week moving average near 220K, suggesting a surprisingly stable labor market. That is bound to be reassuring to investors who have been spooked by worries about fallout from DOGE and the trade war, which have hit consumer and business sentiment hard. Federal Reserve officials have been saying firms appear hesitant to hire but are not letting people go either -- yet. The Fed's April beige book survey of economic conditions says in several districts"firms were taking a wait-and-see approach to employment, pausing or slowing hiring until there is more clarity on economic conditions. In addition, there were scattered reports of firms preparing for layoffs."

Claims expected to bounce back to 220K, the rough 4-week moving average, after a surprising 9K drop to 215K a week earlier. Suggests a relatively stable labor market.

New unemployment claims are compiled weekly to show the number of individuals who filed for unemployment insurance for the first time. An increasing (decreasing) trend suggests a deteriorating (improving) labor market. The four-week moving average of new claims smooths out weekly volatility.

Jobless claims are an easy way to gauge the strength of the job market. The fewer people filing for unemployment benefits, the more have jobs, and that tells investors a great deal about the economy. Nearly every job comes with an income that gives a household spending power. Spending greases the wheels of the economy and keeps it growing, so a stronger job market generates a healthier economy.

There's a downside to it, though. Unemployment claims, and therefore the number of job seekers, can fall to such a low level that businesses have a tough time finding new workers. They might have to pay overtime wages to current staff, use higher wages to lure people from other jobs, and in general spend more on labor costs because of a shortage of workers. This leads to wage inflation, which is bad news for the stock and bond markets. Federal Reserve officials are always on the look-out for inflationary pressures.

By tracking the number of jobless claims, investors can gain a sense of how tight, or how loose, the job market is. If wage inflation looks threatening, it's a good bet that interest rates will rise, bond and stock prices will fall, and the only investors in a good mood will be the ones who tracked jobless claims and adjusted their portfolios to anticipate these events.

Just remember, the lower the number of unemployment claims, the stronger the job market, and vice versa.