Labor Department: US jobless claims fell to 206,000 last week
Business
Good news for anyone watching the job scene: US jobless claims dropped to 206,000 last week, according to the Labor Department.
That's a slight decrease from the previous week and keeps things in a historically low range, which means layoffs are still rare.
US hiring averaged 80,000 in 2026
For the past year, weekly claims have hovered between 200,000 and 230,000 as employers hang on to workers after pandemic shortages.
While hiring slowed in 2026 (averaging about 80,000 jobs per month), it's a big jump from last year's sluggish numbers.
August saw an unexpected boost with 162,000 new jobs added.
Even with rising gas prices and other bumps in the road, the job market keeps showing its strength.