In the United States, applications for unemployment benefits increase but remain at low levels

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits increased last week but remains at historically healthy levels.

Unemployment claims increased by 9,000 to 224,000 for the week of Nov. 30, the Labor Department reported Thursday. This is more than what 214,000 analysts predicted.

Continuing claims, the total number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits, decreased by 25,000 to 1.87 million for the week of November 23. This is down from the highest levels of the past three weeks.

The four-week average of weekly requests, which smooths out some of the weekly volatility, rose by 750 to 218,250.

Weekly claims for unemployment benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs in the United States.

Although the job market has seen some slowdown recently, it remains healthy and has exceeded most expectations given the rise in interest rates in recent years. The Federal Reserve raised rates in 2022 and 2023 to try to quell skyrocketing inflation that developed as the U.S. economy rebounded from the brief but sharp pandemic recession.

The Fed has lower your reference rate during its last two meetings in response to the decline in inflation, who fell close to the 2% objective of the American central bank.

Earlier this week, the government announced that job openings in the United States rebounded to 7.7 million in October, compared to a 3 1/2-year low of 7.4 million in September, a sign that businesses are still looking for workers even though hiring has slowed.

In October, U.S. employers added a measly 12,000 jobsa total that economists say was dwarfed by the effects of strikes and hurricanes that kept many workers temporarily off payrolls.

Analysts predict the government will report Friday that U.S. employers added 215,000 jobs in November, a healthy figure and more in line with recent months.