The numbers: The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits last week to fell to a two-month low of 228,000, reaffirming that the U.S. jobs market is quite strong.Unemployment claims typically rise when the economy weakens and a recession... The numbers: The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits last week to fell to a two-month low of 228,000, reaffirming that the U.S. jobs market is quite strong.
The other 24 posted higher claims, with the biggest increases in just handful of states such as California, Georgia and South Carolina. The actual or unadjusted number of new jobless claims barely budged, slipping to 257,976 from 258,302 in the prior week. Actual claims are up sharply, however, from a pandemic-era low of 152,000 last fall.
Big picture: The relatively small increase in jobless claims this year is a sign most companies have enough demand for their goods and services to keep worker busy.