US Inflation Eases to 2.8%, Jobless Claims Stable at 200,000 Amid Robust Growth

• US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation measure, eased to 2.8%, with core PCE at 2.9%.
• Initial jobless claims rose slightly to 200,000 for the week ended January 17, below economists' expectations of 210,000, indicating a stable labor market.
• Continuing jobless claims dropped by 26,000 to 1.849 million for the week ending January 10.
• Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded at an annualized rate of 4.4% in Q3 2025, surpassing earlier estimates and Q2 growth.
• Economic growth was driven by increases in consumer spending, exports, government spending, and investment, with the services sector showing strong gains.

Why It Matters: US economy shows easing inflation, stable job market, and robust growth, balancing policy challenges.