US Continuing Claims Highest Since August

Continuing jobless claims in the United States, a key indicator of the number of people receiving unemployment benefits, declined to 1,866 thousand in the week ending December 20th, 2025, down from a downwardly revised 1,913 thousand in the prior week. This marked the lowest level in three weeks, reflecting seasonal volatility during the holiday period.

Continuing jobless claims in the United States, a key indicator of the number of people receiving unemployment benefits, declined to 1,838 thousand in the week ending November 29th, 2025, down from a downwardly revised 1,937 thousand in the prior week. This marked the lowest level since April 12, 2025, and fell significantly short of the forecasted 1,950 thousand.The drop suggests a modest improvement in the labor market, with fewer Americans receiving unemployment benefits for extended periods.

Continuing jobless claims in the United States which are seen as a proxy for the number of people receiving unemployment benefits, decreased to 1939 thousand in the week ending November 22nd 2025, the lowest in seven weeks, from a downwardly revised 1943 thousand in the previous period, and below forecasts of 1960 thousand. Despite the recent decline, continuing claims remain near their highest level since 2021 amid a cooling labour market, making it harder for unemployed Americans to secure new jobs.