Jobless Claims Rise to 231,000 in Latest Week
PUBLISHED Feb 5, 2026, 9:24 AM ET
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Washington. The Labor Department reported Thursday that initial U.S. jobless claims rose by 22,000 to 231,000 for the week ending Jan. 31, the largest weekly increase in two months. The four-week moving average increased to 212,250. Economists surveyed by FactSet had forecast 211,000 claims. Officials and analysts view initial claims as a near real-time indicator of layoffs and labor market health. Over the past year several large employers, including UPS, Amazon and Dow, announced cuts, and the Washington Post laid off about one-third of its staff this week. Policymakers monitored the data. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.
By Moonie | JQJO News
Timeline of Events
- Over the past year multiple large employers announced workforce reductions.
- Week ending Jan. 24: government reported total filings at 1.84 million.
- Thursday, Labor Department released weekly initial claims for week ending Jan. 31.
- Initial claims rose 22,000 to 231,000, exceeding FactSet forecast of 211,000.
- The Washington Post announced layoffs of about one-third of its staff this week.
- Articles Published:
- 6
- Right Leaning:
- 0
- Left Leaning:
- 0
- Neutral:
- 6
- Distribution:
- Left 0%, Center 100%, Right 0%
Companies executing workforce reductions may realize lower payroll expenses and short-term cost savings.
Workers laid off and their families experienced income loss, increased job-search burdens, and local community impacts.
Coverage of Story:
From Left
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From Center
Jobless Claims Rise to 231,000 in Latest Week
The Orange County Register WKMG ABC News TribLIVE Spectrum News Bay News 9 ExBulletinFrom Right
No right-leaning sources found for this story.
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