Unemployment Claims Fall to 189,000, the Fewest Since Mid-July, as Layoffs Stay Scarce

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 (TodayViralUSA) — Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, with initial claims falling to their lowest level since mid-July as layoffs remained scarce ahead of Friday’s jobs report.

The Labor Department said Thursday that 189,000 people sought jobless aid in the week ending Oct. 31, down from a revised 195,000 the week before and below economists’ expectations of about 197,000. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week swings, dipped to 194,750 from 197,000.

Layoffs stay historically low

Applications for unemployment benefits are a closely watched proxy for layoffs. Claims have never topped 230,000 in a single week so far this year and have come in at or below 200,000 for eight straight weeks, The Associated Press reported. Last week’s total was also about 39,000 below the 228,000 recorded in the comparable week a year earlier.

Continuing claims, which cover people still receiving benefits, edged higher to 1.718 million in the week ending Oct. 24 from a revised 1.695 million. The insured unemployment rate held at 1.1%. Analysts said the modest rise bears watching but does not by itself show a sustained deterioration in the labor market.

Soft hiring, resilient spending

Employers have added an average of about 68,000 jobs a month so far this year, including a disappointing 29,000 last month — modest by historical standards but stronger than the roughly 9,700 monthly average in 2025, when high interest rates and unpredictable trade policy discouraged hiring, the AP said.

Consumer spending has remained resilient, and a surge in artificial-intelligence investment has lifted growth. The Labor Department will release October hiring figures on Friday. Forecasters surveyed by FactSet expect about 65,000 jobs added and unemployment to stay near 4.2%.