US Initial Jobless Claims Tick Up, In Line With Forecasts

Applications for US unemployment benefits picked up slightly, reflecting a stable labor market.

Initial claims increased by 6,000 to 222,000 in the week ended April 19, according to Labor Department data released Thursday. That was in line with the median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists and close to the 12-month average.

Filings for benefits have remained relatively subdued in recent weeks in the face of uncertainty about tariffs and the economic outlook. New claims have now been within 5,000 of the 220,000 mark for eight consecutive weeks.

“This is good news, as it indicates that, in the midst ...