US jobless claims rise to 197,000 but remain near historic lows
MarketsFN Data Team
Initial jobless claims climbed by 9,000 to 197,000 last week, a 4.8% increase from the prior week's 188,000, as the labor market stayed tight despite modest volatility.
The latest figure remains well below the 3-month (210,643), 1-year (217,792), and 5-year averages (220,365), hovering near the 52-week low of 188,000 and far from the 52-week high of 259,000, underscoring persistent labor market strength.
The 4-week moving average edged down slightly to 202,750, reflecting a stable trend in claims and reinforcing signals of a resilient job market with limited layoff activity.
Continued claims fell by 7,000 to 1,782,000, suggesting unemployed workers are finding jobs relatively quickly, with the 0.4% drop indicating sustained demand for labor.
Key Statistics at a Glance
| Latest (week ending) | July 25, 2026 |
| Initial claims | 197,000 |
| WoW change | ▲ 9,000 (+4.8%) |
| 4-week moving avg | 202,750 |
| 3-month avg | 210,643 (-6.5% vs current) |
| 1-year avg | 217,792 (-9.5% vs current) |
| 5-year avg | 220,365 (-10.6% vs current) |
| 52-week high | 259,000 |
| 52-week low | 188,000 |
| Continued claims | 1,782,000 |
| Continued claims WoW | -7,000 (-0.4%) |
| Signal | Tight |
