US Labor Market Signals ‘Minimal Stress’ as Weekly Jobless Claims Rise Marginally

‘The weekly claims data suggest minimal stress in job markets,’ says chief economist Jeffrey Roach.

A 'Now Hiring' sign at a coffee shop in Greensboro, N.C., on Sept. 19, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Initial jobless claims—the number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits—rose at a tepid pace last week, indicating “minimal stress” in the U.S. labor market, according to Jeffrey Roach, chief economist for LPL Financial.

According to the Department of Labor, initial jobless claims rose by 6,000, to 223,000, for the week ending on Jan. 18, the highest in six weeks.