A hiring sign seeking bus drivers stands in Palatine, Ill., Wednesday, April 19, 2023. On Thursday, the Labor Department reports on the number of people who applied for unemployment benefits last week. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
By Matt Ott
Applications for unemployment benefits in the U.S. fell last week as the labor market continues to show strength despite some weakness in other parts of the economy.
The number of Americans filing for jobless claims for the week ending April 22 fell by 16,000 to 230,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
The four-week moving average of claims, which flattens some of the week-to-week volatility, fell by 6,000 to 236,000. At the start of the year, weekly claims were running around 200,000 and they have gradually moved higher.
The weekly claims numbers are a proxy for layoffs, and continue to show that American workers are enjoying unusual job security despite rising interest rates, economic uncertainty and fears of a looming recession.
Overall, 1.86 million people were collecting unemployment benefits the week that ended April 15, 3,000 fewer than the previous week.
Angelo Zino, Senior Vice President and Technology Equity Research Analyst at CFRA, breaks down Big Tech earnings, AI spending, and what's next for the Mag 7.
Big Tech is pouring billions into AI. Ray Wang, CEO of Constellation Research, explains what Meta and Microsoft's earnings reveal about those investments.
Morningstar equity analyst Nicolas Owens explains Boeing's latest earnings, deliveries, rising fuel costs, and what they mean for airlines and investors.
