US weekly jobless claims rise to 215,000 as labor market stays resilient

Initial unemployment claims in the United States increased by 5,000 to 215,000 for the week ending May 23, according to Department of Labor data released on May 28. The four‑week moving average rose to 209,000, still well below historical averages and near historically low levels. Continuing claims remained below 1.8 million for the eighth straight week.

Economists noted that the labor market remains stable despite a modest slowdown in hiring and heightened uncertainty from the ongoing Iran‑related conflict, which has driven U.S. gasoline prices up to $4.43 per gallon. The rise in claims is viewed as a limited fluctuation, with overall layoffs remaining low and the unemployment rate staying around 4.3%.