Weekly Jobless Claims Fall Below 200,000 Again as Layoffs Remain Low

A hiring sign at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City shopping mall in Arlington, Va., on Jan 3, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch TimesThe number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits fell below 200,000 for the second time this year as layoffs remain low and the labor market steadies heading into 2026.For the week ending Dec. 27, initial jobless claims declined by 16,000 to 199,000 from the previous week’s upwardly revised reading of 215,000, according to data released by the Department of Labor on Dec. 31.