US jobless claims fall to three-week low. (Source: Getty Images) |
This is also the second consecutive week of decline, in the context of the US labor market remaining "tight", despite interest rates continuously rising at high levels.
The number of new claims for unemployment benefits last week was revised up by 1,000, according to the US Labor Department, but still below the 240,000 forecast by economists in a recent Reuters poll.
Since March 2022, when the US Federal Reserve (Fed) raises interest rates for the first time, economists predict a recession in the labor market.
However, the predicted “shock” has yet to appear and the labor market of the world’s largest power continues to “go against the wind”, as businesses continue to recruit more employees to ensure production activities quickly return to orbit after the Covid-19 pandemic.
A strong labor market and slowing inflation are bolstering optimism that the US economy can avoid a recession.
Bloomberg (USA) commented that the latest report on the number of applications for US unemployment benefits "shows that the labor market remains strong and is supporting new momentum for the economy".
The economy grew at a 2.4% annual rate, beating expectations that growth would slow as interest rates rose sharply, according to government data. The combination of slowing inflation and a relatively strong job market has prompted many economists to revise down their GDP growth forecasts for the rest of this year and through 2024.
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