The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose slightly last week, indicating a stable labor market and giving the Federal Reserve room to keep interest rates unchanged and closely monitor inflation risks related to the Middle East conflict. The Labor Department said Thursday that initial jobless claims rose by 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 210,000 in the week ending March 21. Initial jobless claims have remained between 201,000 and 230,000 this year, influenced by relatively few layoffs. Economists say that continued uncertainty stemming from Trump's aggressive import tariffs has led to a decline in demand for labor. Private sector nonfarm payrolls increased by an average of only 18,000 per month in the three months ending in February. They also noted that the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies, which have reduced the labor supply, have also impacted job growth. This has led to what Federal Reserve Chairman Powell called a "zero-job growth equilibrium" this month, but this situation "has downside risks." (Jinshi)