More Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week, but jobless claims remain at historic lows, layoffs are rare and most workers enjoy unusual job security.
WASHINGTON– More Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week, but jobless claims remain at historic lows, layoffs are rare and most workers enjoy unusual job security.
The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims rose to 200,000 last week, up from a revised 191,000 the week before, higher than economists’ forecast of 195,000. The four-week claims average, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, was unchanged at 195,250.
Jobless claims are a proxy for layoffs, and economists watch them closely because they can provide insight into where the job market is headed.
Claims have remained at historically low levels since the start of the year, never having exceeded 230,000 in a single week. They have been at or below 200,000 for nine straight weeks.
So far this year, employers — businesses, government agencies and nonprofits — have added an average of 86,000 jobs per month, including an astonishing 165,000 last month. That’s modest by historical standards, but an improvement from a lackluster 2025, when monthly job creation averaged 9,700 as high interest rates and President Donald Trump’s unpredictable trade policies discouraged hiring.
Consumer spending remained resilient and a surge in investment in artificial intelligence boosted economic growth.
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