The Labor Department released a report on Wednesday showing first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits fell by more than expected in the week ended December 20th.
The report said initial jobless claims dipped to 214,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 224,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to edge down to 223,000.
The Labor Department said the less volatile four-week moving average also slipped to 216,750, a decrease of 750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 217,500.
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Business News
December 19, 2025 15:10 ET U.S. inflation data and interest rate decisions by major central banks were the highlights of this busy week for economics news flow. Employment data and survey results on the housing markets also gained attention in the U.S. In Europe, the European Central Bank and Bank of England announced their policy decisions and macroeconomic projections.