Last week, the number of unemployment benefit applications in the United States reached the highest level in three months.
The economy continues to feel the effects of the pandemic, and this is reflected in the labor market. The Department of Labor reported that the number of applications for unemployment benefits increased by 14,000, reaching a total of 898,000.
As noted, the increase in applications is related to new restrictions introduced in connection with the rise in COVID-19 cases. This particularly strongly affected the service and various retail sectors.
Recent data also indicate that the total number of people receiving unemployment benefits has risen by 70,000, surpassing 5.3 million.
As analysts note, similar trends in the labor market are expected to continue until the situation with the pandemic stabilizes and no effective solutions are found to support the economy and employment.
