AI Data Insight
For the week ending February 28, 2026, U.S. continuing jobless claims dropped to 1.85 million, a decrease of 18,000 from the previous week, largely in line with market expectations. Amid recent weak nonfarm payrolls performance, both initial and continuing claims have fallen, reflecting that although companies are slowing down hiring, they still tend to retain their existing employees. The short-term stalemate in the labor market will influence the Federal Reserve's subsequent pace of interest rate cuts.