New claims for US unemployment benefits fell on Sunday to Christmas and the reinforcement of the benefits fell to the lowest level of the Coronavirus pandemic era in the previous week, the Labor Department said on Thursday, data that did not show the impact of the deployment of the omicron variant.

The initial claim for the state unemployment benefits fell to 198,000 which was seasonally adjusted for this week which ended December 25 from the revision of 206,000 a week before. Earlier this month, claims down to the last level were seen in 1969.

Economists surveyed by Reuters have estimated 208,000 applications for the last week. Claims have decreased from a record high of 6.149 million in early April 2020.

Data is the latest to show that the latest and most contagious Covid-19 variants so far – have not tripped over the rigorous work market or slow the US economy that arises solidly on its path to end the gangbusters growth rate.

While initial claim data experiences depression with what is called a seasonal adjustment factor, even the numbers are not fairly reasonable – while around 60,000 higher – shows almost no week to week change.

“The fact that NSA claims have not changed – when they usually tend to deteriorate – show that there has been no impact of Omicron,” economist Thomas Simons and Antea Markowska at Jefferies wrote.

The numbers – among the most timely readings about the health of the labor market – also showed the number of people whose benefits outside the first week fell to 1.716 million in the week ended December 18, the lowest since Sunday 7 March 2020. It basically marked the return to the level prevailing before the first wave of Lockdowns Covid-19 later the moon sent a soaring reel.

“We hope to continue to claim more consistently around 1.7 million considering the level of low initial claims and as more individuals returned to work because health conditions increased, although the omicron variant might slow down the process,” Nancy Vanden Houten, economist leader in Oxford . Economy writes.

The application usually increases during the cold weather months, but the lack of acute workers has disrupted the seasonal pattern, resulting in a lower number of claims that are lower in the past few weeks.

Weekly volatility discounts, labor markets tightened, with unemployment rate at the age of 4.2% low in November. Employment figures for December will be released on January 7, and the initial consensus estimate among economists surveyed by Reuters saw a lower unemployment rate of up to 4.1%.

There was a record of 11.0 million job openings at the end of October. Higher wages because the company scrambles for rare workers helps to support consumer spending.

The economy grew at an annual rate of 2.3% in the third quarter, with consumer spending rose at a speed of 2.0%. Growth forecasts for the fourth quarter as high as the rate of 7.2%. For the total 2021, the economy is expected to grow 5.6%, which will be the fastest since 1984, according to a Reuters survey of economists. The economy was contracted 3.4% by 2020.

The question now arises on how sustainable the momentum may be proven by the fast spread of Omicron pushing Covid-19 infection back to the highest record, exceeding the last winter crushing wave. In addition, the Domestic Investment Plan for Administrative Biden Administration $ 1.75 trillion was stopped at the Senate A.S.

Against the uncertainty, some economists have begun to cut their growth estimates for next year.