US Unemployment: Economic Tensions and Rising Concerns

US unemployment claims increased last week as layoffs remain historically low. However, there are signs of labor market deterioration. Despite federal job cuts, the jobless rate in Washington, DC rose. Analysts link uncertainty to tariffs and declining federal employment impacting neighboring states' economies.

Last week saw a rise in Americans filing for unemployment benefits, although layoffs continue to remain at historically low levels according to the latest Labour Department figures. The department reported a total of 235,000 applications for the week ending August 16, surpassing economists' expectations of 229,000.

Despite the low number of layoffs compared to historical standards, the labor market shows signs of weakening. The US economy saw the addition of only 73,000 jobs in July, considerably below the 115,000 job forecast. This prompted financial market instability and resulted in President Donald Trump dismissing Erika McEntarfer, head of the Bureau of Labour Statistics, over job figures.

The unemployment rate in Washington, DC has exceeded 6%, the highest in the nation, due to mass federal worker layoffs and the decline in tourism revenue. Economists attribute exacerbated market uncertainty to Trump's tariff policies, influencing companies' employment and expansion plans.

(With inputs from agencies.)