The weekly initial jobless claims in the United States slightly increased, providing the Federal Reserve with room to keep interest rates unchanged.

BlockBeats News: On March 26, it was reported that the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits last week slightly increased, indicating that the labor market remains stable. This also gives the Federal Reserve room to keep interest rates unchanged and closely monitor inflation risks related to the Middle East conflict. The U.S. Department of Labor stated on Thursday that for the week ending March 21, initial unemployment claims increased by 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted total of 210,000. Due to fewer layoffs, initial claims have remained between 201,000 and 230,000 earlier this year.

Economists say that ongoing uncertainty caused by Trump’s aggressive import tariffs has led to decreased demand for labor. During the three months ending in February, private non-farm employment increased by an average of only 18,000 jobs per month. They also pointed out that the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies have reduced labor supply, which has also impacted employment growth. This has resulted in what Federal Reserve Chair Powell called a “balanced state” of zero employment growth this month, but this situation “carries downside risks.” (Jin10)