187,000 Americans filed new unemployment claims in the week ended July 18, down 22,000 and far below the 215,000 economists had expected.
Layoffs stayed historically low even as U.S. crude jumped nearly 5% above $91 a barrel and average gasoline prices rose back above $4 a gallon after the U.S. attack on Iran.
207,500 was the four-week average of claims, down 7,250, while continuing claims for the prior week slipped 2,000 to just under 1.8 million.
The resilient claims data contrasts with softer hiring: employers added only 57,000 jobs in June, and the 4.2% unemployment rate fell partly because some job seekers stopped looking.
Analysts say a prolonged war and sustained energy-cost shock could still pressure companies to cut head counts, even with the labor market showing little immediate strain.