US Weekly Jobless Claims Rise to 215,000; Labor Market Shows Resilience

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose by 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 215,000 in the week ended May 23, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The figure exceeded the 211,000 forecast but remains near historic lows, signaling the labor market is holding firm despite rising geopolitical tensions and corporate AI-driven restructuring. Continuing claims, which track the total number of people receiving benefits, increased by 15,000 to 1.786 million in the prior week. The insured unemployment rate held steady, and economists expect the broader May unemployment rate to remain at 4.3%. Analysts noted the labor market is in a "low-hiring, low-firing" pattern as businesses balance economic uncertainty. Bloomberg economist Eliza Winger said AI automation and the US-Iran conflict have yet to materially push up layoff filings, though a tight Strait of Hormuz continues to pressure energy and input costs. A separate Conference Board survey showed household views on job availability diverging, with fewer seeing jobs as plentiful but also fewer finding them hard to get.