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US labour pulse: US unemployment claims dip to 214,000; data points to stable layoffs – The Times of India
US unemployment benefit claims fell again last week, underscoring a labour market that remains broadly stable even as hiring momentum shows signs of cooling, according to data released by the Labor Department.Applications for jobless aid dropped by 10,000 to 214,000 for the week ended December 20, down from a revised 224,000 a week earlier, AP reported. The figure came in well below the 232,000 claims forecast by economists surveyed by FactSet. The weekly report was released a day earlier than usual due to the Christmas holiday.Initial claims are widely seen as a near real-time indicator of layoffs, and the latest reading remains within a range considered historically healthy.The data comes against a mixed backdrop for the US labour market. The government last week reported a net gain of 64,000 jobs in November, following a loss of 105,000 jobs in October. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in November, its highest level since 2021.October’s decline in payrolls was driven largely by a sharp fall of 162,000 federal jobs, as workers exited following fiscal year-end and administrative cutbacks under the Trump administration. Subsequent revisions also shaved 33,000 jobs off August and September employment figures.Since March, job creation has averaged about 35,000 a month, roughly half the pace seen in the year ended March, as businesses grapple with uncertainty around President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and the lingering impact of elevated interest rates following the Federal Reserve’s aggressive tightening cycle in 2022 and 2023.Earlier this month, the Fed cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points for the third consecutive meeting. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the move reflected concerns that the labour market may be weaker than headline figures suggest, adding that recent job data could be revised down by as much as 60,000.Several large companies, including UPS, General Motors, Amazon and Verizon, have announced job cuts in recent months, though such reductions often take time to be reflected in official data.The Labor Department’s report also showed that the four-week moving average of jobless claims slipped by 750 to 216,750, smoothing out week-to-week volatility. Meanwhile, continuing claims — the number of people receiving unemployment benefits — rose by 38,000 to 1.92 million for the week ended December 13.
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SEBI proposes stricter base price and band rules for gold, silver ETFs, including cooling-off periods after sharp global price swings to curb volatility.
Amid Global Commodity Volatility, SEBI Plans New Price Band Rules for Gold, Silver ETFs
The market regulator has sought to curb extreme volatility in gold and silver Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) by proposing changes to the base price and price band framework. Currently, there are no separate price bands for ETFs aligned with their underlying assets, making them vulnerable to sharp price movements.
The proposal comes after sharp volatility in gold and silver ETFs triggered by fluctuations in global commodity prices. On some days, these ETFs fell by over 15%, while on others, they recorded sharp gains.
Stock exchanges currently apply a fixed price band of plus or minus 20% on the base price of ETFs, except for Overnight ETFs investing only in TREPs, which have a price band of plus or minus 5%.
Moreover, the base price for applying price bands to ETFs is taken as the T-2 day closing Net Asset Value (NAV) by exchanges, instead of the T-1 day closing NAV or price, as is the case with indices and individual stocks. This creates a challenge, as the closing NAV of ETFs typically differs between T-1 and T-2 days. Corporate actions such as bonuses and dividends are adjusted manually, increasing the risk of errors.
What Are the Key Proposals?
SEBI has proposed that the base price be determined using either the closing price of the ETF on T-1 day (weighted average price of the last 30 minutes), the closing NAV of T-1 day, or the average indicative NAV (iNAV) of the last 30 minutes of T-1 day.
Further, the regulator has proposed an initial price band of plus or minus 10% for equity and debt ETFs, which can be flexed up to plus or minus 20%. A cooling-off period of 15 minutes will apply, and up to two flexes will be allowed in a day.
For gold and silver ETFs, the regulator has proposed an initial price band of plus or minus 6%, which can be flexed up to plus or minus 20%. This will also include a 15-minute cooling-off period.
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February 14, 2026, 16:08 IST
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Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) forwarded a summary to the federal government suggesting an increase of Rs4.39 per liter in petrol price for the next fortnight.
After approval from the federal government, one liter of petrol will be sold at Rs257.56 instead of Rs253.17 per liter.
The price of high-speed diesel (HSD) will be increased by Rs5.40 per liter.
After approval, the price of one liter of high-speed diesel will increase by Rs268.38 to Rs273.78.
The proposal to increase the price of kerosene by Rs4 per liter is also on the cards.
The OGRA also recommended increasing the price of one liter of light diesel by Rs6.55.
The new prices of petroleum products will be effective from February 16, 2026.
Due to tension between the USA and Iran, petroleum prices are likely to increase further.
The group, based in Solihull and Wolverhampton, says its vet bills are costing them more.
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