US Jobless Claims Fall to 197K, Below Consensus, Labor Market Resilient

Initial unemployment claims in the US fell to 197,000 for the week ending September 19, below the 201,000 consensus, while the four-week moving average declined to 202,250. Continued claims rose slightly but remain low. The data signals a resilient labor market, reducing near-term recession risk and supporting the case for the Fed to maintain a cautious easing path.