Weekly jobless claims declined to their lowest levels since September 2022, signaling a tighter U.S. labor market at a time when the Federal Reserve is considering pivoting on monetary policy.
The number of first-time unemployment claims fell by 16,000, to a lower-than-expected 187,000 for the week that ended on Jan. 13, according to new data from the Department of Labor. This was the lowest reading since Sept. 24, 2022, and the second lowest since September 1969.
