US Weekly Jobless Claims Tick Lower as Labor Market Stalls

While caution remains ahead, employers and employees are signaling slightly more confidence.

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

The number of individuals filing new applications for unemployment benefits ticked lower last week as businesses remain reluctant to lay off their workers.

For the week ending Aug. 9, initial jobless claims fell by 3,000 to 224,000 from a slightly upwardly revised 227,000 in the previous week.