U.S. initial jobless claims unexpectedly rose, and the probability of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates by 25 basis points in December fell slightly to 96.7%

Odaily reports that the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week. The number of people receiving unemployment benefits continued to increase at the end of November compared to the beginning of the year, as labor demand has cooled. The U.S. Department of Labor reported on Thursday that in the week ending December 7, the number of initial jobless claims increased by 17,000, seasonally adjusted to 242,000. Economists had previously forecast that the number of initial jobless claims last week would be only 220,000. The jump in initial jobless claims last week may reflect volatility after the Thanksgiving holiday and may not signal a sudden change in the job market. The number of initial jobless claims may continue to fluctuate in the coming weeks, which could make it difficult to get a clear reading on the job market. According to the CME "Fed Watch", the probability of the Federal Reserve keeping the current interest rate unchanged in December has risen slightly to 3.3%, while the probability of a 25-basis-point rate cut has fallen slightly to 96.7%.