Initial U.S. jobless claims dropped to a seasonally adjusted 219,000 for the week ending October 25, modestly below prior readings and market estimates. The data suggests the labour market retains underlying resilience even as other indicators cool. Economists caution that the series can be volatile week to week, and state-level data gaps required statistical adjustments. Investors said stronger-than-expected claims could temper immediate Fed easing expectations, but the overall labour picture still leaves room for policy discretion given mixed monthly payroll prints.