OT Why does the press routinely report the number of new applications
for unemployment insurance for the week (or the day?), and whether the
number has gone up or down?

It seems to me that the number of NEW cases in any period is almost
random, depending on when employers decide they have to lay people off,
and that's influenced by a dozen factors. Therefore it can go up or down
without meaning anything.

OTOH what matters is the total number of people collecting unemployment.
That's the measure of how many are unemployed.


Say the number of applications for unemployment drops 50% from the
previous week, or 90%. So what, if 90+% of those who were unemployed
last week still are.