The U.S. trade deficit reached its highest level since 2009.

Signs of Stability in Unemployment Claims in the U.S.

In the U.S., initial jobless claims remained nearly unchanged last week, falling to 209,000. This indicates a degree of stability in the American labor market.

According to data released by the Labor Department, in the relevant week ending January 24, unemployment claims decreased by 1,000, and continuing claims dropped to 1.83 million. Considering that the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey among economists was 205,000, the figures fell below general expectations.

The Role of Imports in the Trade Deficit

According to data released today, the trade deficit rose to its highest level since 2009, driven by increased imports and a decline in exports. According to the Commerce Department, the goods and services trade deficit nearly doubled from the previous month, reaching $56.8 billion.

Taking into account that the median estimate in the Bloomberg survey was $44 billion, the actual figure turned out to be much higher than expected. It is noteworthy that imports increased by 5%, while the total value of all goods and services exports from the U.S. fell by 3.6% in November.