Unemployment claimants' continuing claims fall to 2½-year low
Updated
Updated · MarketWatch · May 7
Unemployment claimants' continuing claims fall to 2½-year low
9 articles · Updated · MarketWatch · May 7
US continuing claims dropped to 1.77 million in late April, down 10% from nearly 2 million last fall, while new jobless claims rose to 200,000 after matching a 57-year low.
Economists said easier job-finding and exceptionally low layoffs are driving the decline, though some reduction reflects people exhausting benefits after long job searches.
Hiring remains modest, with payroll gains averaging 68,000 in early 2026 and 7.2 million people wanting work in March, but analysts say de-escalation in Iran and tariff clarity could improve job growth.
With layoffs hitting historic lows, why are millions of Americans still struggling to find employment?
Can the U.S. labor market's recovery survive a global shipping crisis and soaring energy prices?
As AI reshapes the job market, how will the economy grow when it can no longer rely on more workers?