Applications for U.S. unemployment benefits fell to 194,000 last week, the lowest in three months, the Labor Department said Thursday, the Associated Press reported.
That was down from 200,000 the prior week. The four-week average, which smooths out weekly swings, slipped to 197,750. Weekly claims haven’t topped 230,000 at any point this year.
Employers have been holding on to workers despite higher energy costs since fighting with Iran began Feb. 28, but hiring remains slow. Employers have added an average of 68,000 jobs a month this year, up from 9,700 a month in 2025. The unemployment rate edged up to 4.2% last month.
Sources: AP via KTAR News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: US Department of Labor / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
