Applications for unemployment benefits jumped last week to the highest level in almost four years, indicating layoff activity may be on the rise amid a sharp slowdown in hiring.

Initial claims rose by 27,000 to 263,000 in the week ended Sept. 6, the highest since October 2021, according to Labor Department data released Thursday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for 235,000 applications.

Thursday’s figures follow a monthly report on employment, published on Sept. 5, which showed the US added just 22,000 jobs in August, extending the sharp slowdown in job growth seen in recent months. Uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trump’s economic policies has made employers more hesitant to hire in 2025.

Weekly filings can be volatile around holidays, and this we

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