US Initial Unemployment Claims Inch Higher

2026-05-28 12:36 By Andre Joaquim 1 min. read

The number of people claiming unemployment benefits in the US rose by 5,000 to 215,000 on the third week of May, slightly above market expectations that it would rise by 1,000.

In the meantime, continuing jobless claims rose by 15,000 to 1,786,000 on the second week of May, in line with expectations of 1,780,000.

Despite the slight increases, the claim counts remained firmly below averages from the previous year and extended the period of stability since the declines in initial claims in the last months, maintaining the backdrop of a robust labor market and adding leeway for the Fed to remain restrictive.

Meanwhile, initial claims filed by federal employees, which have been under scrutiny due to government shutdowns that have delayed unemployment insurance filing, were relatively unchanged at 427.



News Stream
US Initial Unemployment Claims Inch Higher
The number of people claiming unemployment benefits in the US rose by 5,000 to 215,000 on the third week of May, slightly above market expectations that it would rise by 1,000. In the meantime, continuing jobless claims rose by 15,000 to 1,786,000 on the second week of May, in line with expectations of 1,780,000. Despite the slight increases, the claim counts remained firmly below averages from the previous year and extended the period of stability since the declines in initial claims in the last months, maintaining the backdrop of a robust labor market and adding leeway for the Fed to remain restrictive. Meanwhile, initial claims filed by federal employees, which have been under scrutiny due to government shutdowns that have delayed unemployment insurance filing, were relatively unchanged at 427.
2026-05-28
US Initial Jobless Claims Inch Down
The number of people claiming unemployment benefits in the US fell by 3,000 to 209,000 on the second week of May, aligned with market expectations of 210,000. In the meantime, continuing jobless claims, which are a proxy for outstanding unemployment, rose by 6,000 to 1,782,000, slightly under the expectations of 1,790,000. The results extended the period of stability since the declines in initial claims earlier this year, maintain the backdrop of a robust labor market and adding leeway for the Fed to remain restrictive. Meanwhile, initial claims filed by federal employees, which have been under scrutiny due to government shutdowns that have delayed unemployment insurance filing, rose by 32 to 424.
2026-05-21
US Initial Jobless Claims Above Forecasts
The number of people claiming unemployment benefits in the US rose by 12,000 from the previous week to 211,000 on the first week of May, above market expectations of 205,000. Continuing jobless claims, which are a proxy for outstanding unemployment in the US, rose by 24,000 to 1,782,000, slightly under the expectations of 1,790,000. Despite the increases, the claim counts remained well under their respective averages from the previous year, aligning with other data that reflect a robust labor market and low levels of job cuts. Meanwhile, initial claims filed by federal employees, which have been under scrutiny due to government shutdowns that have delayed unemployment insurance filing, fell by 46 claims to 392.
2026-05-14