Jobless Claims Rise to 200,000, Still Near Historic Lows
Initial claims rose 9,000 in the week ended Nov. 7, above the 195,000 economists expected, the Labor Department said Thursday. Layoffs remain rare by historical standards.
Labor Market
Jobs reports, layoffs, quits and wage data, read for what they mean to employers.
Raise Budgets Settle at 3.5%
Payscale and The Conference Board both put 2027 salary increase budgets at 3.5 percent. WTW is a notch lower at 3.4.
Why the First Jobs Number Is Rarely the Final One
September payrolls were first reported at 29,000. A month later the figure was 60,000.
Latest in Labor Market
Data
The 6 Million People the Unemployment Rate Doesn't Count
About 6.0 million people outside the labor force told the BLS in October that they want a job. The official unemployment rate counts none of them.
Data
Professional Services and Health Care Led October Hiring as Hospitality Shed Jobs
Professional and business services added 70,000 jobs in October and health care 42,000. Leisure and hospitality lost 13,000.
News
Factories Have Added 101,000 Jobs Since December
Manufacturing added 19,000 jobs in October, bringing the gain since December's low to about 101,000. The factory workweek held at 40.5 hours.
Data
Temp Jobs Bounce Back
Temporary help employment rose by 18,600 in October after the year's largest monthly drop. Economists watch it as an early read on hiring.
Analysis
Health Care Keeps Carrying the Job Market
Health care added 42,000 jobs in October. The BLS expects about 189,100 openings for registered nurses every year through 2034.
News
Employers Added 165,000 Jobs in October, Far Above Forecasts
Payrolls rose by 165,000 in October, far above the roughly 65,000 economists expected, and unemployment slipped to 4.1 percent. September was revised up to 60,000.
Data
AI Fades as a Stated Reason for Layoffs
Artificial intelligence has been cited in about one in five announced job cuts this year, but the share dropped sharply in the fall as economic conditions took over.
Data
How to Read JOLTS, the Report That Shows How Hard It Is to Hire
Job openings rose to 7.52 million in September and quits reached 3.4 million, the most since March 2025. What each line of the report measures.
Data
Small Businesses Drove September's Rise in Openings and Quits
Openings rose to 7.5 million, quits reached a 2025 high and layoffs fell. Nearly all of the action happened at smaller employers.
Data
What the 4.1 Percent Unemployment Rate Leaves Out
The official jobless rate counts only people actively looking for work. Broader measures add discouraged workers and part-timers who want more hours.
Data
Using Federal Wage Data to Set Pay for 2027
Average hourly earnings reached $38.00 in October. BLS occupational data for a metro area is a better guide to what a specific job should pay.
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