US filings for jobless benefits rise to 197,000 last week, but layoffs remain historically low

In the US, the number of people applying for unemployment benefits increased last week. The total rose by 9,000 to 197,000 for the week ending July 25. This change occurred despite the overall health of the job market remaining strong.

The previous week's total was revised and remains the lowest in over 50 years. Further information on this topic is available from the Labor Department and other sources, including details on how the job market is being affected by various economic factors.