"Unemployment Claims Hit Three-Month Low, Falling to 202,000"

U.S. weekly jobless claims dropped to a nearly three-month low of 202,000, down by 18,000 from the previous week, indicating the labor market remains strong despite economic slowdowns. The decrease in new claims, along with a slight drop in ongoing unemployment claims, suggests that while it's taking longer for people to find new jobs, the market is not significantly weakening. Economists are cautious about interpreting these figures due to seasonal hiring fluctuations and prefer to assess trends in February. The overall picture remains positive, with companies retaining workers amidst a labor shortage, and the stock market reacted favorably to the news.