In a surprising turn, U.S. weekly jobless claims dropped to 191,000 for the week ending November 29, 2025 — the lowest level since September 2022 — suggesting resilience in the labor market even as hiring slows in other sectors. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the four-week moving average also fell to 207,750, down from 220,250 the previous week.
This unexpected dip contradicts recent data indicating softening in overall employment trends. Just days earlier, payroll processor ADP reported a net private-sector job loss of 32,000 in November, with small businesses accounting for 120,000 job cuts.
Yet, initial jobless claims — a key indicator of layoffs — suggest employers are still holding onto workers, wary of the tight labor pool.
Further supporting labor market steadiness, U.S. employers announced just 45,000 planned job cuts in November — a 53% decline from October — according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. This suggests that while new jobs may not be emerging rapidly, mass layoffs are not yet underway.
All eyes now turn to the official jobs report due from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on December 6, which could either reinforce this stability or highlight deeper labor market fractures as 2025 winds down.
