Main Street Independent

TAG  ·  Economy

unemployment

Weekly jobless claims rise to 206,000 as layoffs stay near historic lows

Illustration accompanying article: Weekly jobless claims rise to 206,000 as layoffs stay near historic lows
  • The Labor Department reported Thursday that weekly unemployment claims rose to 206,000, up from a revised 204,000 the prior week.
  • The four-week average of claims rose modestly to 207,250.
  • Filings have stayed within a historically low range of 200,000 to 230,000 a week for the past year.
  • The official unemployment rate stands at 4.1%, and economists describe the current labor market as "no-hire, no-fire."
 2026-09-03 · 3 MIN READ

50% U.S. tariffs take effect on $20 billion in Canadian goods; economists project 90,000 jobs lost

Illustration accompanying article: 50% U.S. tariffs take effect on $20 billion in Canadian goods; economists project 90,000…
  • The Wall Street Journal reports 50% U.S. tariffs took effect this month on $20 billion of Canadian goods, with economists projecting up to 90,000 jobs lost.
  • Economists at Desjardins Group project Canada's unemployment rate could climb to 7% by year-end from 6.4% in July, according to the Journal.
  • Flowers Canada Growers estimates the new tariffs could cost the Canadian floriculture sector $151 million in annual losses, according to the Journal.
  • The Canadian government has announced more than $20 billion since last year to support firms and workers hit by tariffs, according to the Journal, with retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods pledged to take effect Sept. 8.
 2026-08-30 · 3 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: U.S. weekly unemployment claims fall by 4,000