US weekly jobless claims decline, indicating ongoing labor market stability.

Initial US jobless claims decreased by 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 197,000 for the week ending October 3, 2026, falling below the 200,000 forecast. This marks the fourth consecutive week claims have remained near 57-year lows, signaling continued strength in the labor market. The number of continuing claims, however, rose by 17,000 to 1.716 million for the week ending September 26.