US Initial Jobless Claims Declined Unexpectedly in Week Ended Jan. 10

08:48 AM EST, 01/15/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US initial jobless claims fell to a level of 198,000 in the week ended Jan. 10 from a downwardly revised 207,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for an increase to 215,000 in survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg.

The four-week moving average declined by 6,500 to 205,000 after decreasing by 8,500 to a level of 211,500 in the previous week. This is the lowest level for this average since the week ended Jan. 20, 2024.

Insured jobless claims declined by 19,000 to 1,884,000 in the week ended Jan. 3.

The weekly initial jobless claims data released by the US Labor Department measures filings for unemployment insurance benefits. Initial filings are reported through the previous Saturday, while those already on benefits are measured with a one-week lag.

A decrease in claims suggests a stronger labor market, a positive for the US economy and stocks, but a negative for bonds as it suggests wage growth that could lead to inflation.

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