The number of initial unemployment benefits in the United States rose slightly last week, which may provide the Federal Reserve with room to pause interest rate cuts

Odaily Odaily News reports that the number of initial jobless claims in the US increased moderately last week, in line with the gradual easing of the labor market conditions. The US Department of Labor reported on Thursday that the seasonally adjusted number of initial jobless claims increased by 11,000 to 219,000 in the week ending February 1, compared to the expected 213,000. The resilience of the labor market is the driving force behind the economic expansion, and it has provided the Federal Reserve with the space to pause rate cuts, while policymakers are assessing the impact of the Trump administration's fiscal, trade, and immigration policies, which economists believe will lead to inflation. ()