The number of initial unemployment claims in the United States rose slightly last week, which may provide the Federal Reserve with room to pause interest rate cuts

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, the number of people applying for unemployment benefits for the first time in the U.S. increased moderately last week, consistent with the gradually easing labor market conditions. The U.S. Department of Labor announced on Thursday that for the week ending February 1, the seasonally adjusted number of initial unemployment claims rose by 11,000 to 219,000, with an expectation of 213,000.

The resilience of the labor market is a driving force behind economic expansion and provides the Federal Reserve with the space to pause interest rate cuts, while policymakers are assessing the impact of the Trump administration's fiscal, trade, and immigration policies, which economists believe could lead to inflation.