Fewer Americans sought unemployment benefits last week as job cuts stay low
November 26, 2025
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits declined last week in a sign that layoffs remain low, even as several high-profile companies have announced job cuts. U.S. applications for unemployment benefits in the week ending Nov. 22 dropped 6,000 from the previous week to 216,000, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. The number of people seeking unemployment benefits is seen as a proxy for layoffs and is close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.