US continuing jobless claims stood at 1.868 million for the week ending 20 February. This was above the forecast of 1.85 million.
The outturn exceeded expectations by 0.018 million, or 18,000 claims. The release relates to people who remained on unemployment benefits during that period.
Labor Market Cooling Signals
Looking back, the slightly higher-than-expected continuing jobless claims we saw in February 2025 were an early signal of a cooling labor market. This trend of gradual weakening continued through the end of the year, with the 4-week moving average of initial claims rising to over 230,000 by December 2025. This has put increasing pressure on the Federal Reserve to consider a change in policy.
The current situation is complex because inflation, while lower, remains stubborn. The latest Core PCE reading for January 2026 came in at 2.6%, still meaningfully above the Fed’s 2% target. This leaves the central bank in a difficult position, balancing the risk of a slowing economy against the need to control prices.
Given this uncertainty, we expect market volatility to remain elevated in the coming weeks. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) has been hovering around 18, reflecting investor nervousness about the Fed’s next move. Traders should consider using options to hedge their portfolios, such as buying puts on broad market indices to protect against a sharper-than-expected economic slowdown.
This environment also creates opportunities in interest-rate-sensitive instruments. We see value in strategies that bet on falling long-term rates if the labor market data continues to soften. For instance, purchasing call options on Treasury bond ETFs can provide upside exposure to a more dovish Fed policy.
