jobs-labor

Jobless Claims Hit 196,000, a 1960s-Level Print Firms Are Not Firing

Published September 21, 20263 min read

Empty factory break room at dawn with hard hats on a rack and warm light through high windows — Jobless claims fell to 196,000 last week, a level last seen in the late 1960s, as firms hold steady on both hiring and firing. Illustration: MarketIntelLabs

Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell to 196,000 in the week ending September 12, the Labor Department reported Thursday, down 10,000 from an unrevised 206,000 the week before and one of the lowest readings since the late 1960s. The four-week average dropped to 203,250. Even allowing for the usual distortion around the Labor Day holiday, the level is remarkable: the same week one year ago printed 233,000, so new filings are running roughly 16 percent below where they stood in September 2025.

Key Takeaways Initial jobless claims fell to 196,000 in the week ending September 12, down 10,000 and about 16 percent below the 233,000 printed in the same week of 2025. The four-week average of…

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