The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits inched up last week, still remaining historically low, according to the Associated Press.
The Labor Department reported today that jobless claims for the week ending June 29 rose by 4,000 to 238,000 from 234,000 the previous week. The data was issued one day earlier than its regular Thursday release due to the July Fourth holiday.
The total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits rose for the ninth straight week, to 1.86 million, for the week of June 22. That’s the most since November of 2021. The four-week average of claims, which evens out some of the week-to-week volatility, also continued to climb, rising by 2,250 to 238,500.
Economists say that while the number of new people applying for jobless aid each week remains relatively modest, some who are receiving benefits are finding it harder to land new jobs. That suggests that demand for workers is waning, even as the economy remains strong. That, combined with recent data showing that inflation continues to ease, could point to the so-called “soft-landing” the Federal Reserve was aiming for when it began its rate-hiking campaign.
