US Initial Jobless Claims Rose Much More Than Expected in Week Ended Jan. 31

BY MT Newswires | ECONOMIC | 08:38 AM EST

08:38 AM EST, 02/05/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US initial jobless claims rose to a level of 231,000 in the week ended Jan. 31 from an unrevised 209,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for a smaller increase to 212,000 in survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg.

The four-week moving average increased by 6,000 to 212,250 after increasing by 2,250 to a level of 206,250 in the previous week.

Insured jobless claims rose by 25,000 to 1,844,000 in the week ended Jan. 24.

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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Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

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