By Jarrell Dillard
Bloomberg News
(TNS)
Applications for U.S. unemployment benefits fell last week, indicating that layoffs remain largely limited.
Initial claims decreased by 11,000 to 207,000 in the week ended April 11, marking the biggest one-week drop since February, according to Labor Department data released Thursday. Claims data can be volatile around holidays, and the latest period included Easter.
The four-week moving average of new applications, a metric that helps smooth out volatility, was little changed last week.
Thursday’s figures add to other recent data that suggests the labor market is stabilizing. Separate figures released earlier this month showed job growth rebounded in March and the unemployment rate fell.
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The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book survey of regional business contacts also showed most districts recently described labor demand as “stable” with minimal layoffs.
Continuing claims, a proxy for the number of people receiving benefits, rose to 1.82 million in the week ending April 4.
Before adjusting for seasonal factors, initial claims rose about 12,100 last week. That was largely driven by New York, which may reflect applications related to the April 2-10 spring break for New York City public schools. Claims in Connecticut and California also increased.
— With assistance from Julia Fanzeres.
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©2026 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.
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