According to Odaily, the U.S. Department of Labor reported on Thursday that initial jobless claims rose by 4,000 for the week ending August 17, reaching a seasonally adjusted total of 232,000. This figure slightly exceeded the expected 230,000 claims.Chris Larkin from Morgan Stanley E*Trade commented that the latest jobless claims indicate a slowing yet resilient labor market. This trend could potentially support the Federal Reserve's decision to begin lowering interest rates in September.