Prior week 224K revised to 224KThe 4-week moving average was 216,750, a decrease of 750from the previous week's unrevised average of 217,500Continuing claims 1.923M vs 1.900 estimate. Prior week 1.897M revised to 1.885MThe 4-weekmoving average was 1,893,750, a decrease of 5,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week'saverage was revised down by 3,000 from 1,902,000 to 1,899,000. Initial jobless claims track the weekly number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the first time and are one of the most timely indicators of U.S. labor-market health and overall economic momentum. Rising claims can signal increasing job losses and a slowing economy, while declining claims suggest that hiring is outpacing layoffs, pointing to underlying economic strength. Released every Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor, the report is closely watched by economists and markets alike, with particular emphasis on the four-week moving average, which helps smooth out weekly volatility and provides a clearer view of underlying labor-market trends. This article was written by Greg Michalowski at investinglive.com.