Initial U.S. jobless claims fell 4,000 to 226,000 in the week ended June 13, vs.
225,000 expected, the Labor Department said Thursday. Continuing claims rose to
1.81 million in the prior week. The figures, alongside stronger-than-expected
May payrolls (+172,000), signal a still-resilient labor market despite an
energy-price shock from the Iran conflict and have prompted investors to
increase bets on further Fed rate hikes.
