U.S. jobless claims drop to 226,000 as unemployment rate stays at a historically low 4.3%

Analysts had predicted 225,000 new unemployment claims for the week ending June 13.

A hiring sign is seen outside of a company in Wheeling, Ill., Monday, June 8, 2026. [Photo: Nam Y. Huh/AP Photo]

The number of Americans applying for jobless aid fell modestly last week as layoffs remained in the same historically low range of recent years.U.S. applications for unemployment benefits in the week ending June 13 dropped by 4,000 to 226,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s in line with the 225,000 new applications forecast by analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet.Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered representative of U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.Despite concerns that the conflict in the Middle East would further squeeze a flagging labor market, hiring has picked up in recent months........

© Fast Company