The U.S. Department of Labor announced on December 26 (local time) that the number of initial unemployment claims for the week of December 15-21 was 219,000.

This figure is 1,000 fewer than the previous week and falls below the market expectation of 223,000.

Meanwhile, the number of continued unemployment claims—those filed by individuals receiving benefits for two weeks or longer—reached 1.91 million for the week of December 8-14, an increase of 46,000 from the previous week.

The Department of Labor noted that this is the highest level since November 2021.

According to the Associated Press, the rise in continued unemployment claims suggests that individuals are finding it increasingly difficult to secure new jobs while receiving benefits.

Although the U.S. economy remains robust, demand for hiring appears to be declining.