US Weekly Jobless Claims Climb to Highest Level Since October 2021

‘Despite the slowdown in hirings, actual layoffs are historically low for where we are in the business cycle,’ says a chief economist.

A hiring ad displayed at a coffee shop in Kerrville, Texas, on July 9, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The number of Americans newly filing applications for unemployment benefits climbed to the highest level in four years last week, new Department of Labor data released on Sept. 11 show.

For the week ending Sept. 6, initial jobless claims rose by 27,000 to 263,000—marking the highest level since October 2021 and surpassing the consensus estimate of 235,000.