A zero value for the index indicates that the national economy is expanding at its historical trend rate of growth; negative values indicate below-average growth; and positive values indicate above-average growth. For further information, please visit the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's web site: http://www.chicagofed.org/webpages/research/data/cfnai/current_data.cfm
Continued claims, also referred to as insured unemployment, is the number of people who have already filed an initial claim and who have experienced a week of unemployment and then filed a continued claim to claim benefits for that week of unemployment. Continued claims data are based on the week of unemployment, not the week when the initial claim was filed.
The insured unemployment rate (% of covered employment) is Continued Claims (also called insured unemployment) divided by Covered Employment.