US weekly jobless claims drop to three‑year low

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits plunged to a three‑year low last week — a sign the US labor market remains sturdily intact. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, initial jobless claims for the week ending November 29 dropped by 27,000 to a seasonally‑adjusted 191,000. That’s well below the 220,000 average economists were forecasting, and the lowest reading since September 2022. Despite concerns sparked by a sharp drop in private payrolls in November, the fresh claims data suggests layoffs remain historically low — even around major holidays, when the numbers can be especially volatile. Meanwhile, the number of continuing claims — people still receiving unemployment benefits — edged down slightly, but remains elevated compared with pre‑pandemic norms. In short: while the economy isn’t booming, the worst‑case scenario of widespread layoffs hasn’t materialized. For now, the labor market is holding — even if hiring appears to have cooled. #USLaborMarket #JoblessClaims #EconomicData #Unemployment #SlimScan #GrowthStocks #CANSLIM