[The U.S. Labor Market Falls into a 'Paralyzed State,' Initial Jobless Claims Slightly Below Expectations] Odaily Planet Daily News – Initial jobless claims in the U.S. rose moderately last week, indicating that despite persistently weak labor demand, the scale of layoffs remains relatively low as of the end of 2025. Due to seasonal adjustments related to the year-end holiday period, data in recent weeks has shown fluctuations. However, overall, layoffs remain at historically low levels. Affected by tariff uncertainties and the proliferation of artificial intelligence, employers have been hesitant to increase staffing but have not initiated large-scale layoffs, leaving the labor market in a 'paralyzed' state. The market's current focus has shifted to the December non-farm payroll report, which is set to be released on Friday. Economists predict that non-farm payrolls increased by 60,000 last month, and the unemployment rate is expected to fall from November's over four-year high of 4.6% to 4.5%. It is worth noting that November's unemployment rate data was partially affected by the 43-day federal government shutdown. (Jin10)