Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	May 31, 2020	May 31, 2019	May 31, 2020	May 31, 2019
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 43,545	$ 672,276	$ 155,566	$ 719,291
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Net unrealized holding gains (losses) on investments arising during the period, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $67, $31, $148 and $138	196	62	433	379
Less: reclassification adjustment for net (gains) losses included in net income, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $0, $(544,677), $0 and $(545,054)	0	(544,307)	0	(543,178)
Net change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on investments, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $67, $544,708, $148 and $545,192	196	(544,245)	433	(542,799)
Net unrealized foreign exchange gains (losses) arising during the period, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $(7,838), $(10,439), $(10,985) and $(2,717)	(25,710)	(40,147)	(34,943)	(9,193)
Less: reclassification adjustment for foreign exchange (gains) losses included in net income, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $0,$0, $0 and $0	0	0	0	0
Net change in unrealized foreign exchange gains (losses), net of income tax provision (benefit) of $(7,838), $(10,439), $(10,985) and $(2,717)	(25,710)	(40,147)	(34,943)	(9,193)
Net unrealized gains (losses) on instrument specific credit risk arising during the period, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $51,167, $858, $59,106 and $6,807	150,040	2,616	173,288	20,151
Less: reclassification adjustment for instrument specific credit risk (gains) losses included in net income, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $444, $(67), $530 and $(166)	(1,302)	199	(1,554)	493
Net change in unrealized instrument specific credit risk gains (losses), net of income tax provision (benefit) of $50,723, $925, $58,576 and $6,973	148,738	2,815	171,734	20,644
Net unrealized gains (losses) on cash flow hedges arising during the period, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $0, $86, $0 and $0	0	251	0	0
Less: reclassification adjustment for cash flow hedges (gains) losses included in net income (loss), net of income tax provision (benefit) of $0, $161, $0 and $161	0	(470)	0	(470)
Net change in unrealized cash flow hedges gains (losses), net of income tax provision (benefit) of $0, $(75), $0 and $(161)	0	(219)	0	(470)
Net pension gains (losses) arising during the period, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $0, $0, $0 and $0	0	0	0	0
Reclassification adjustment for pension (gains) losses included in net income, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $(214), $(122), $(438) and $(241)	648	353	1,287	708
Net change in pension liability, net of income tax provision (benefit) of $214, $122, $438 and $241	648	353	1,287	708
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income taxes	123,872	(581,443)	138,511	(531,110)
Comprehensive income	167,417	90,833	294,077	188,181
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interests	2,580	191	4,709	(875)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	198	(427)	480	(289)
Preferred stock dividends	(1,404)	(1,276)	(2,826)	(2,552)
Comprehensive income attributable to Jefferies Financial Group Inc. common shareholders	$ 168,791	$ 89,321	$ 296,440	$ 184,465