Initial unemployment claims fall for second week in a row

​COLLEGE STATION – Initial unemployment claims in Texas decreased last week to almost 86,900, marking the second consecutive week of declines. ​

From March 21 to July 18, an estimated three million claims were filed in Texas, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). 

Continuing unemployment claims decreased the week of July 11 to just under 1.2 million.

Despite the decrease in claims, employment concerns still persist.

"The increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Texas is affecting the re-opening of the state’s economy, generating concerns that some people may be furloughed again, and postponing companies’ plans to re-open and bring people back to work," said Real Estate Center Research Economist Dr. Luis Torres.

The number of initial unemployment claims in Texas’ major and border metros fell the week of July 11 compared with the previous week.

Using data from the DOL and the Employment and Training Administration, the Center estimates that from March 21 to July 11 nearly 665,426 seasonally adjusted claims were filed in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land. 

Houston has the largest accumulated number of initial unemployment claims in Texas.

Here are Center estimates for the other three major and the four border metros during that time:

• Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, 644,200 claims;

• San Antonio-New Braunfels, 204,400 claims;

• Austin-Round Rock, 178,700 claims;

• McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, 76,300 claims;

• El Paso, 67,300 claims;

• Brownsville-Harlingen, 33,800 claims; and 

• Laredo, 20,600 claims.

In Texas, accommodation and food services, administrative/support/waste management/remediation services, and retail trade were the sectors with the greatest number of new unemployment claims.

Almost 52.7 million Americans filed initial unemployment claims in the past 18 weeks. Last week’s new claims have increased for the first time since the end of March. However, seasonal factors may have distorted those numbers. 

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