#USJoblessClaimsDrop The US jobless claims have dropped to an 11-month low, with only 201,000 claims filed for the week ending January 4. This is a significant decrease of 10,000 from the previous week, indicating a low pace of layoffs that's supporting the broader economy.¹

Although hiring has slowed down, with private payrolls rising by only 122,000 in December, economists believe the labor market is still stable. The Federal Reserve is likely to keep interest rates unchanged in January, citing progress in curbing inflation while maintaining employment stability.

It's worth noting that continuing claims, which reflect hiring activity, rose by 33,000 to 1.867 million. However, economists attribute part of this increase to seasonal adjustment challenges.