US jobless claims surged to a two-month high, but layoffs remain in a historically healthy range. Applications for unemployment benefits jumped by 18,000 to 241,000 for the week ending April 26, surpassing analyst forecasts. This is the highest level since late February.
The number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits has climbed to 1.92 million, the most since November 2021. Despite President Trump’s pause on tariff threats, concerns about a global economic slowdown persist. The US economy shrank at a 0.3% annual pace from January to March due to disrupted business caused by trade wars.
The labor market remains healthy with plenty of job openings and relatively few layoffs. Unemployment rates have inched up, but still fall within historical standards. Some companies, including Workday, Dow, and Facebook parent company Meta, have already announced job cuts this year. The Labor Department will issue its April jobs report on Friday.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/number-americans-filing-jobless-claims-jumps-week-remains-121352969