The number of Americans filing new unemployment claims fell by 6,000 to 206,000 for the week ending August 15. The decline suggests employers continue to be reluctant to make large-scale layoffs, even as hiring has slowed compared with previous years. However, continuing unemployment claims increased to nearly 1.8 million, indicating that some unemployed workers are taking longer to find new jobs. Overall, the data point to a labor market that remains relatively resilient but is showing signs of cooling.
See "US unemployment claims dipped last week, showing stability in job market", Staff, Reuters, August 24, 2026