【The number of unemployment claims in the U.S. has decreased, and the probability of maintaining interest rates unchanged in January next year is still 91.4%】Golden Finance reports that the number of people applying for unemployment benefits for the first time in the U.S. has decreased last week, indicating that in the final stage of 2024, the U.S. economy still avoids a massive wave of layoffs. The U.S. Department of Labor stated on Thursday that 219,000 people applied for new unemployment benefits in the week ending December 21, down from 220,000 the previous week, while the market expected 225,000. The current U.S. unemployment rate is 4.2%, which is still relatively mild by the standards of the past decade. However, during 2024, the unemployment rate has slightly increased, which is a sign of a softening labor market, as reflected in the decrease in job vacancies per job seeker, a decline in the number of new jobs, and more industries cutting recruitment. According to CME's 'FedWatch', the probability of maintaining unchanged interest rates in January next year is still 91.4%, while the probability of a 25 basis point rate cut is 8.6%.