US jobless claims remain low as layoffs stay rare
Last week, 203,000 Americans filed for unemployment benefits, a slight drop from the week before.
The four-week average ticked up a bit to 205,500 but is still comfortably within the low range seen all year.
Basically, layoffs are rare right now and most people are hanging onto their jobs.
Unemployment 4.1% as 1.3 million exit workforce
The job market's holding up even with high gas prices.
Unemployment sits at 4.1%, partly because fewer people are looking for work, thanks to immigration limits and lots of baby boomers retiring.
In fact, more than 1.3 million people left the workforce in the past year.
Firms cautious despite 61,000 monthly gains
After struggling with worker shortages after COVID-19 lockdowns, companies aren't rushing to hire or fire these days. They're playing it safe.
This year's monthly job growth averages about 61,000: better than last year's slow pace but nowhere near the hiring spree of 2021-2022.