U.S. Jobless Claims Fall to 228,000

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits declined in the latest weekly report, offering fresh evidence of continued labor market stability despite broader economic concerns.

According to data released by the U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday, seasonally adjusted initial jobless claims fell by 13,000 to 228,000 for the week ending May 3, reversing part of the previous week’s increase. That prior week's figure was left unrevised at 241,000.

The four-week moving average, which helps smooth short-term fluctuations, rose slightly by 1,000 to 227,000, up from a revised figure of 226,000.

Insured Unemployment Declines

For the week ending April 26, the insured unemployment rate, which measures the number of people getting regular unemployment benefits, declined by 0.1 percentage point to 1.2%. The total number of seasonally adjusted insured unemployed workers dropped by 29,000 to 1,879,000. The previous week's total was revised down by 8,000 to 1,908,000.

The four-week moving average for continuing claims increased by 8,750 to 1,874,500, following a downward revision of 2,000 to the prior week's average, which now stands at 1,865,750.

The report points to a still-resilient job market, with low layoff activity and continued stability in insured unemployment. Economists will now look ahead to upcoming inflation and wage data for further insight into the broader economic outlook.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

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