The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits saw a marginal rise during the final week of September, according to Reuters, citing data from Haver Analytics.

This suggests that while layoffs remain at a low level, the pace of hiring has largely stalled. Also Read | Will the $100,000 visa fee create more US jobs? Economists aren’t so sure

Adding to the complexity, a US government shutdown , now in its sixth day, has led to the suspension of official data collection and publication. This complicates crucial decision-making for policymakers at the Federal Reserve , as well as for investors and households.

Key Figures

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose to a seasonally adjusted 224,269 for the week ending 27 September, up from 218,589 th

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