Applications for U.S. jobless benefits rose to a three-month high last week but remained within the same healthy range of the past three years.

The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits rose by 22,000 to 242,000 for the week ending Feb. 22, the Labor Department said Thursday. Analysts projected that 220,000 new applications would be filed.

Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs.

The four-week average, which evens out some of the week-to-week volatility, climbed by 8,500 to 224,000.

Some analysts say they expect layoffs ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency to show up in the report in the coming weeks.

  • @NocturnalMorning
    56•1 day ago

    Yup, good ole government efficiency, instead of getting paid by their job, gonna get unemployment benefits. How’s that saving the government money again?

    I think the real reason they are doing this is bcz they want to privatize a bunch of stuff that is government right now, or pocket the money from some of the contracts.

    • CMLVI
      20•1 day ago

      100%. They’re going to cut govt spending, allowing private interests to step in at vastly increased prices. And it’s going to be weird all these contacts and friends of politicians just happen to be positioned well to benefit off this.