Initial claims: how futures reacted
Latest check: 2026-10-13. Verify figures and dates on the agency's site.
What it is
Initial claims count new applications for state unemployment insurance and are published by the U.S. Department of Labor. They are released weekly, usually Thursday at 08:30 ET; the official schedule and archive are https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/archive.asp.
Published by U.S. Department of Labor.
When it comes out
- Usual time: 08:30 ET
- How often: weekly
- Next scheduled dates: Thu, Oct 29, 2026; Thu, Nov 5, 2026; Thu, Nov 12, 2026
- Official schedule: oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/archive.asp
Past releases
| Date | Actual | Prior | Nasdaq (MNQ) | S&P 500 (MES) | Gold (MGC) | Crude (MCL) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | 30 min | 60 min | 5 min | 30 min | 60 min | 5 min | 30 min | 60 min | 5 min | 30 min | 60 min | |||
| 2026-10-08 08:30 ET | 197 thousands | 199 thousands | -38.25 -0.12% | -18.50 -0.06% | +16.00 +0.05% | -7.25 -0.09% | -3.25 -0.04% | +2.50 +0.03% | -9.5 -0.23% | -12.8 -0.31% | -8.4 -0.20% | +0.04 +0.04% | -0.09 -0.10% | -0.76 -0.82% |
| 2026-10-01 08:30 ET | 197 thousands | 197 thousands | +7.75 +0.03% | -41.00 -0.13% | -61.00 -0.20% | +3.50 +0.05% | -8.50 -0.11% | -12.00 -0.15% | +4.1 +0.10% | -0.8 -0.02% | -12.4 -0.29% | +0.03 +0.03% | -0.15 -0.16% | -0.93 -1.02% |
| 2026-09-24 08:30 ET | 197 thousands | 198 thousands | -33.75 -0.11% | +14.50 +0.05% | +47.25 +0.16% | -6.00 -0.08% | +0.75 +0.01% | +0.25 0.00% | -4.5 -0.10% | +10.0 +0.23% | +5.5 +0.13% | +0.04 +0.04% | +0.13 +0.14% | +0.15 +0.16% |
| 2026-09-17 08:30 ET | 196 thousands | 206 thousands | +23.25 +0.08% | -1.00 0.00% | -7.50 -0.03% | +4.75 +0.06% | +1.00 +0.01% | -3.25 -0.04% | -10.8 -0.24% | -7.8 -0.18% | -14.5 -0.33% | +0.05 +0.05% | +0.76 +0.77% | +1.32 +1.33% |
| 2026-09-10 08:30 ET | 206 thousands | 207 thousands | -119.00 -0.41% | -172.00 -0.59% | -140.25 -0.48% | -21.00 -0.28% | -25.00 -0.33% | -27.75 -0.36% | -23.3 -0.53% | -25.2 -0.57% | -7.4 -0.17% | +0.52 +0.52% | +0.19 +0.19% | +0.11 +0.11% |
| 2026-09-03 08:30 ET | 207 thousands | 204 thousands | +61.00 +0.21% | +98.25 +0.34% | +103.00 +0.35% | +12.25 +0.16% | +20.25 +0.26% | +23.00 +0.30% | +21.3 +0.47% | +48.1 +1.07% | +34.8 +0.77% | +0.22 +0.24% | -0.29 -0.31% | -0.44 -0.48% |
| 2026-08-27 08:30 ET | 204 thousands | 207 thousands | -10.00 -0.03% | -56.25 -0.19% | -54.25 -0.18% | -4.00 -0.05% | -11.75 -0.15% | -7.00 -0.09% | -2.3 -0.05% | -10.2 -0.22% | -5.8 -0.12% | -0.07 -0.08% | +0.09 +0.11% | -0.01 -0.01% |
| 2026-08-20 08:30 ET | 207 thousands | 212 thousands | -7.25 -0.02% | +70.25 +0.24% | +75.25 +0.26% | -1.00 -0.01% | +10.00 +0.13% | +11.25 +0.15% | -6.0 -0.13% | +15.0 +0.33% | +12.0 +0.27% | -0.07 -0.08% | -0.89 -1.02% | -0.90 -1.03% |
| 2026-08-13 08:30 ET | 212 thousands | 200 thousands | No data | |||||||||||
| 2026-08-06 08:30 ET | 200 thousands | 198 thousands | No data | |||||||||||
Moves are in index or price points from the price at the release time, with the percentage underneath. Markets: Nasdaq (MNQ), S&P 500 (MES), Gold (MGC), Crude (MCL). Actual and prior are first-print values in thousands.
Typical reaction
- Across the 8 releases since 2026-08-20, Nasdaq (MNQ)'s median 30-minute move was 48.63 points (0.16%). It was up 30 minutes later in 3 of 8.
- Across the 8 releases since 2026-08-20, S&P 500 (MES)'s median 30-minute move was 9.25 points (0.12%). It was up 30 minutes later in 4 of 8.
- Across the 8 releases since 2026-08-20, Gold (MGC)'s median 30-minute move was 11.5 points (0.27%). It was up 30 minutes later in 3 of 8.
- Across the 8 releases since 2026-08-20, Crude (MCL)'s median 30-minute move was 0.17 points (0.17%). It was up 30 minutes later in 4 of 8.
| Market | Releases with data | Median absolute 30-min move | Higher | Lower |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasdaq (MNQ) | 8 | 48.63 pts (0.16%) | 3 (38%) | 5 (63%) |
| S&P 500 (MES) | 8 | 9.25 pts (0.12%) | 4 (50%) | 4 (50%) |
| Gold (MGC) | 8 | 11.5 pts (0.27%) | 3 (38%) | 5 (63%) |
| Crude (MCL) | 8 | 0.17 pts (0.17%) | 4 (50%) | 4 (50%) |
Computed only from our own one-minute prices, measured from the price at the release time. Small samples describe what happened; they do not describe what will happen.
Sources
- UI Weekly Claims news release archive - checked 2026-10-13
https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/archive.asp - UI Weekly Claims latest news release - checked 2026-10-13
https://www.dol.gov/ui/data.pdf