A ‘help wanted’ sign is displayed in a window of a store in Manhattan on December 02, 2022 in New York City.
Spencer Platt | Getty Images
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, suggesting the labor market remains tight despite higher interest rates.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 190,000 for the week ended Jan. 14, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 214,000 claims for the latest week.
Part of the surprise drop in claims likely reflected continuing challenges adjusting the data for seasonal fluctuations at the start of the year.
Through the seasonal volatility, claims have remained at levels consistent with a tight labor market, even as layoffs have accelerated in the technology industry and interest rate-sensitive sectors like finance and housing.
Microsoft said on Wednesday it would eliminate 10,000 jobs, joining cloud-computing…
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