US Jobless Claims Fall 4,000 to 226,000 as Continuing Claims Rise to 1.81 Million
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Jun 18
US Jobless Claims Fall 4,000 to 226,000 as Continuing Claims Rise to 1.81 Million
3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Jun 18
Summary
226,000 Americans filed new unemployment claims in the week ended June 13, down 4,000 from the prior week and roughly in line with economists’ 225,000 forecast.
Low layoffs are keeping the labor market firm, with unemployment holding at 4.3% for three straight months after three months of solid job gains; May nonfarm payrolls rose 172,000.
1.81 million people were still receiving benefits in the week ended June 6, up 24,000, signaling hiring remains constrained even as layoffs stay subdued.
11.6 weeks was the median duration of unemployment in May, the longest since November 2021, as economists cite policy uncertainty, tariffs and Middle East conflict as drags on hiring.
The data arrived a day after the Federal Reserve held rates at 3.50%-3.75%, with Chair Kevin Warsh saying policymakers viewed labor markets as stable and possibly improving.