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unemployment

US jobless claims fall to 208,000, fewest in 10 weeks

Illustration accompanying article: US jobless claims fall to 208,000, fewest in 10 weeks
  • The U.S. Department of Labor reported initial jobless claims of 208,000 for the week ending July 11, the lowest level in 10 weeks.
  • The 8,000 decline from the prior week placed claims well below the 219,000 forecast by analysts surveyed by FactSet.
  • In its June jobs report, the Labor Department said employers added 57,000 jobs, less than half the previous month's total.
  • The unemployment rate fell to 4.2% from 4.3% in May, but the decline was driven largely by workers leaving the labor force and no longer being counted as unemployed.
  • The slower hiring followed a relative surge in job gains over the prior three months, which had countered concerns about the war in Iran's potential effect on the labor market.
 2026-07-16 · 3 MIN READ

U.S. unemployment holds at 4.2% in June; quits and wage growth signal cooling

Illustration accompanying article: U.S. unemployment holds at 4.2% in June; quits and wage growth signal cooling
  • The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the U.S. unemployment rate at 4.2 percent for June 2026, near recent readings.
  • The U-6 broader underemployment measure fell to 7.9 percent in June, down from 8.2 percent in May, according to BLS data.
  • The Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker recorded 3.5 percent median 12-month wage growth for continuously employed workers, below readings seen at the 2022–2023 peak.
  • JOLTS data showed total nonfarm quits at 3,065,000 in June, a worker-bargaining-power signal consistent with a labor market that has cooled from its tight 2022 state.
 2026-07-03 · 4 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: Trump warns states to tighten unemployment fraud controls or lose funds