Economics Jobs

Initial Unemployment Claims in US Decline by Most Since June
•Applications fell by 24,000 last week, Labor Department said
• Continuing claims decreased for the first time in two months

By Augusta Saraiva
November 22, 2023 at 8:34 AM EST
Updated on November 22, 2023 at 9:00 AM EST

Applications for initial US jobless benefits fell by the most since June, suggesting employers are still holding on to workers in a gradually cooling labor market.

Initial claims plunged by 24,000 to 209,000 in the week ending Nov. 18, according to Labor Department data out Wednesday. That was below all estimates in a Bloomberg survey of economists.

{snip}