Jobs
US Jobless Claims Retreat Slightly, Hovering Near Historic Lows
- Applications dropped by 4,000; economists expected an increase
- Continuing claims rose for fifth straight week to 1.51 million
This article is for subscribers only.
Applications for US unemployment insurance unexpectedly fell slightly last week and remained near historic lows, showcasing the strength of the labor market as other parts of the economy cool.
Initial unemployment claims dropped by 4,000 to 222,000 in the week ended Nov. 12, Labor Department data showed Thursday. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for 228,000 new applications.