Last week, the number of first-time jobless claims in the US dropped sharply, indicating that the US job market remains stable and that Federal Reserve officials need to continue to focus on curbing inflation. The US Department of Labor said on Thursday that the number of jobless claims in the US fell by 22,000 to 187,000 at the beginning of the week ending July 18, and is expected to be 212,000. Thursday's report is the latest sign of continued stability in the labor market. The unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 4.2% in June, a record low in a year, but this decline was more due to a reduction in the labor force than employment growth. The US job market shows an abnormal balance: the supply of labor is limited, new jobs are slow, and layoffs are limited, which has kept the unemployment rate at a historically low level. This situation has prompted more and more Fed policymakers to focus more on inflation, which is still well above the 2% target, rather than about a strong job market.

Last week, the number of first-time jobless claims in the US dropped sharply, indicating that the US job market remains stable and that Federal Reserve officials need to continue to focus on curbing inflation. The US Department of Labor said on Thursday that the number of jobless claims in the US fell by 22,000 to 187,000 at the beginning of the week ending July 18, and is expected to be 212,000. Thursday's report is the latest sign of continued stability in the labor market. The unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 4.2% in June, a record low in a year, but this decline was more due to a reduction in the labor force than employment growth. The US job market shows an abnormal balance: the supply of labor is limited, new jobs are slow, and layoffs are limited, which has kept the unemployment rate at a historically low level. This situation has prompted more and more Fed policymakers to focus more on inflation, which is still well above the 2% target, rather than about a strong job market.