More Americans applied for unemployed benefits last week, but jobless claims remain at historically low levels, layoffs are rare and most workers enjoy unusual job security

US jobless claims tick up to 200,000 but remain low by historic standards

A now hiring sign is displayed at a business in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, Texas, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

A now hiring sign is displayed at a business in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, Texas, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

A now hiring sign is displayed at a business in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, Texas, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

A now hiring sign is displayed at a business in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, Texas, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

WASHINGTON -- More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, but jobless claims remain at historically low levels, layoffs are rare and most workers enjoy unusual job security.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims ticked up to 200,000 last week from a revised 191,000 the week before, coming in higher than the 195,000 economists had forecast. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, was unchanged at 195,250.

Applications for jobless benefits are a proxy for layoffs, and economists watch them closely because they can provide signs of where the job market is headed.

Claims have remained at historically low levels in the year to date, never topping 230,000 in a single week. They’ve come in at or below 200,000 for nine straight weeks.

So far this year, employers — companies, government agencies and nonprofits — have been adding an average of 86,000 jobs a month, including a surprisingly strong 165,000 last month. That is modest by historic standards but an improvement on a lackluster 2025 when monthly job creation averaged 9,700 as high interest rates and President Donald Trump’s unpredictable trade policies discouraged hiring.

Consumer spending has remained resilient and a surge in investment in artificial intelligence has lifted economic growth.