U.S. Jobless Claims Rise 12,000 to 211,000 as Iran War Fuels 3.8% Inflation

10 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · May 14

211,000 Americans filed new unemployment claims in the week ended May 9, up 12,000 from the prior week and slightly above the 207,000 economists expected.
Layoffs remain historically low, but the labor market is stuck in a low-hire, low-fire pattern that has kept unemployment at 4.3% while making it harder for job seekers to find work.
Iran war disruptions are adding pressure: the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, oil prices have jumped more than 50% since late February, and U.S. gasoline has climbed to $4.53 a gallon from under $3.
That energy shock is feeding inflation, with consumer prices up 3.8% year over year and producer prices up 6%, complicating Fed rate cuts and prompting some policymakers to consider a hike this year.
Continuing claims for the prior week rose 24,000 to 1.78 million, underscoring a broader slowdown in hiring that has worsened in 2025 despite April's 115,000 job gain.

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