Citi: Continuing jobless claims show weakness in U.S. job market

 Citibank economist Gisela Hoxha wrote that the four-week moving average of continued unemployment claims in the United States has been consistently rising, indicating a weak labor market. This number has been higher than the same period last year, reflecting a slowdown in hiring and longer job search times for the unemployed. This weakness may make it more difficult for official employment data to show a rebound in the labor market from the impact of hurricanes. Hoxha wrote: "If the number of continued unemployment claims in the states affected by hurricanes remains high in the coming weeks, the November employment data released in early December may not fully rebound from the impact of hurricanes."