Businesses laid off workers at one of the lowest rates in decades in 2024 despite lingering inflation and the highest interest rates in years.

Unemployment insurance claims dropped to their lowest level in a month, showing signs of health in the U.S. labor market amid a broader slowdown in employment conditions. Initial claims fell by

The number of Americans receiving continued unemployment benefits rose to 1.91 million for the week of Dec. 14, according to Labor Department data. That’s a week-to-week increase of 46,000 claims, and represents the highest number of Americans collecting recurring unemployment benefits since November 2021, according to the Associated Press.