US Initial Jobless Claims Declined in Week Ended Sept. 26

08:35 AM EDT, 10/01/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US initial jobless claims decreased to a level of 197,000 in the week ended Sept. 26 from an upwardly revised 198,000 level in the previous week, compared with expectations for an increase to 200,000 in survey of analysts compiled by Bloomberg. The four-week moving average fell by 2,500 to 200,000 after decreasing by 1,500 to a level of 202,500 in the previous week. Insured jobless claims declined by 11,000 to 1,701,000 in the week ended Sept. 19. The weekly initial jobless claims data released by the US Labor Department measures filings for unemployment insurance benefits. Initial filings are reported through the previous Saturday, while those already on benefits are measured with a one-week lag. A decrease in claims suggests a stronger labor market, a positive for the US economy and stocks, but a negative for bonds as it suggests wage growth that could lead to inflation.