The number of initial jobless claims in the United States increased more than expected last week, giving the Federal Reserve room to keep interest rates unchanged

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, the number of initial jobless claims in the United States increased more than expected last week. The Labor Department stated on Thursday that for the week ending February 22, initial claims rose by 22,000, seasonally adjusted to 242,000, higher than the market expectation of 221,000.

A separate federal employee unemployment compensation (UCFE) program shows that the large-scale layoffs of federal government probationary employees have not yet had any impact, most of whom were dismissed by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) around February 14.

As policymakers closely monitor the impact of Trump's fiscal, trade, and immigration policies on the economy, historically low layoffs are maintaining the momentum of economic expansion, providing the Federal Reserve with room to keep interest rates unchanged. Economists believe that the Trump administration's policies will lead to inflation.