Weekly applications for US jobless aid fall to 265,000
WASHINGTON — Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, continuing a nearly two-year trend that suggests a solid job market.
THE NUMBERS: Weekly requests for jobless aid fell 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 265,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. The less volatile four-week moving average for claims was 263,000.
Over the past year, the number of people collecting benefits has fallen almost 5 per cent to 2.1 million.
THE TAKEAWAY: The historically low number of people seeking jobless aid is a positive sign for the economy.