U.S. applications for jobless benefits fell again last week as the labor market continues to hold up despite fears of a tariff-induced recession.
Jobless claim applications fell by 9,000, to 215,000, for the week ending April 12, the Labor Department said Thursday. That’s well below the 225,000 new applications that analysts forecast.
Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs, and have mostly stayed between 200,000 and 250,000 for the past few years.
The four-week average of applications, which can soften some of the week-to-week swings, fell by 2,500, to 220,750.