#JoblessClaimsUp Initial jobless claims in the US rose by 6,000 from the previous week to 223,000 in the period ending January 18th, slightly ahead of market expectations of 220,000, to mark the sharpest rise in six weeks. In turn, the outstanding claim count rose by 46,000 to 1,899,000 in the earlier period, the most since November of 2021, to suggest that those without jobs are taking a longer time to find suitable employment, and pointing to a greater impact of restrictive interest rates by the Fed on the US labor market. The four-week moving average for initial claims, which reduce weekly volatility, rose by 750 to 213,500. In turn, the non-seasonally adjusted claim count sank by 68,135 to 284,222.