US jobless claims fall, but labour market shows signs of strain

US initial jobless claims, USA, Fed rate cut [https://invezz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/20250918_130451_TDoMt.png] The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell last week, but signs of a weaker labour market continue to emerge as both hiring and worker supply ease. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped by 33,000 to a seasonally adjusted 231,000 for the week ending September 13, the Labor Department reported on Thursday. The decline partly reversed a surge in claims the previous week, when applications rose to levels not seen since October 2021. That earlier increase was largely concentrated in Texas, where the state’s Workforce Commission said it had detected a spike in fraudulent claims following the September 1 Labor Day holiday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 240,000 new claims for last week. DEMAND FOR WORKERS SLOWS WHILE SUPPLY TIGHTENS Although layoffs remain relatively modest, hiring has slowed sharply. Economists point to uncertainty stemming from tariffs on imports and tighter immigration rules that have constrained the labor supply. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell described the labor market as facing a “curious balance” during a press conference on Wednesday.…