The US labor market continues to look much as it has for the last several months:
- Energy layoffs continue at an elevated rate
- Ex-energy layoffs are flat to trending very slightly higher
the data
Initial jobless claims rose 6k to 278k from 272k WoW. The prior week's number was not revised. Meanwhile, the 4-week rolling average of seasonally-adjusted claims fell -1.75k WoW to 270.25k.
Meanwhile, the 4-week rolling average of NSA claims, another way of evaluating the data, was -11.2% lower YoY, which is a sequential improvement versus the previous week's YoY change of -6.7%
Yield Spreads
The 2-10 spread fell -1 basis points WoW to 99 bps. 1Q16TD, the 2-10 spread is averaging 111 bps, which is lower by -25 bps relative to 4Q15.
Joshua Steiner, CFA
Jonathan Casteleyn, CFA, CMT
