Weekly Jobless Claims, Unemployment Benefits | featured news

The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits dropped for a second consecutive week, further evidence that the job market is slowing improving.

The number of people applying for unemployment benefits jumped 24000 in the latest week, but the increase appeared to stem largely from the Easter holiday and other onetime factors that distorted the data.

The number of newly laid-off workers filing initial claims for jobless benefits rose unexpectedly last week, evidence that layoffs are continuing and jobs remain scarce.

The number of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits fell for the third straight week, evidence that layoffs are continuing to ease in the earliest stages of an economic recovery.