Weekly initial jobless claims at 198,000… “U.S. economy remains resilient”
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Summary
- The U.S. Department of Labor said weekly initial jobless claims came in at 198,000, below economists’ forecasts.
- Both the four-week moving average and continuing claims declined, hitting the lowest levels in two years, the department said.
- MarketWatch said labor market indicators have held at their lowest levels since President Donald Trump took office, suggesting the economy remains resilient.
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits at the start of the new year fell below 200,000 on a weekly basis.
The U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday (local time) that initial jobless claims for the week of Jan. 4–10 totaled 198,000, down 9,000 from the previous week.
The latest figure came in below the Dow Jones consensus estimate of 215,000. The decline in initial claims suggests layoffs may have eased. The four-week moving average of initial claims, which smooths out volatility, fell by 6,500 from the prior week to 205,000. The Labor Department said it was “the lowest level in the two years since January 2024.”
Continuing claims—filed by those who have been receiving benefits for more than two weeks—stood at 1.884 million for the period from Dec. 28, 2025, to Jan. 3, 2026, down 19,000 from a week earlier.
With concerns still lingering that the U.S. labor market could cool, Wall Street is closely watching employment indicators to gauge underlying trends. MarketWatch said claims have “held near the lowest level since U.S. President Donald Trump took office a year ago,” adding that it “shows the economy remains resilient.”
By Kim Dong-hyun 3code@hankyung.com
