The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits increased moderately last week, suggesting that the labor market continued to steadily cool. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 9,

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 216,000 claims for the latest week. Claims have retreated from the near 1-1/2-year high seen in early October, which was the result of hurricanes and strikes at Boeing BA.N and another aerospace company.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims continued their steady climb last week as they have since the end of summer. For the week ending November 30, 2024, new claims were 599, which is up 164 claims from the week before and 88 more from last year. They were 181 at the end of September.