US: Initial claims was 210,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week

"In the week ending August 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 210,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 212,000," the U.S. Department of Labor announced on Thursday.

Key takeaways from the official publication

• The 4-week moving average was 213,750, a decrease of 1,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 215,500. 
• The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.2 percent for the week ending August 11, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate. 
• The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending August 11 was 1,727,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised level.