Odaily News The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits last week exceeded expectations, but remained at a level consistent with a healthy labor market. The Labor Department said on Thursday that initial jobless claims increased by 14,000 to 217,000 in the week ended January 11, seasonally adjusted. Economists had expected 210,000 initial jobless claims last week. Initial jobless claims tend to fluctuate widely at the beginning of the year, but continue to show low layoffs, providing support for the job market and the overall economy. The resilience of the job market, still-mild inflation, and uncertainty about the impact of President-elect Trump's plans for widespread tariffs and mass deportation of undocumented immigrants have led the Federal Reserve to expect only two rate cuts this year. (Jinshi)