WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose 32,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 360,000, the most since late March. The jump came a week after applications had reached a five-year low. The less volatile four-week average ...

Tagged with: Economy employees employers hiring job market jobs layoffs Unemployment

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits fell by 4,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 323,000, a five-year low. Layoffs have returned to pre-recession levels, a trend that could lead to more hiring. The Labor ...

Tagged with: benefits Economy employees employers growth jobs layoffs Recession Unemployment

WASHINGTON — Americans are more optimistic the job market is healing and will deliver higher pay later this year. That brighter outlook, along with rising home prices, cheaper gasoline and a surging stock market, could offset some of the drag ...

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WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to a seasonally adjusted 339,000, the second-fewest in more than five years. The drop suggests that layoffs have declined and that job growth may pick up from last ...

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The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell sharply last week to a seasonally adjusted 346,000, suggesting March's weak month of hiring may have been a temporary slowdown.

Tagged with: Economy employees employers jobs layoffs Unemployment

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits jumped by 16,000 last week, the second straight weekly increase. But the longer-term trend in layoffs remained consistent with an improved job market. Applications increased to a seasonally adjusted 357,000 for ...

Tagged with: Economy employees employers hiring jobs layoffs Unemployment

WASHINGTON — Fewer Americans sought unemployment aid last week, reducing the average number of weekly applications last month to a five-year low. The drop shows that fewer layoffs are strengthening the job market. The Labor Department said Thursday that applications ...

Tagged with: application Economy employees employers jobs layoffs Unemployment

LUKE — Papermaker NewPage Corp. says it’s cutting 44 jobs at its mill in the western Maryland town of Luke. The Cumberland Times-News reports that the company announced the layoffs to employees Tuesday. The Miamisburg, Ohio-based company says the job ...

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WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid plummeted to a five-year low last week, a hopeful sign the job market may be improving. But much of the decline reflects seasonal volatility in the data. Weekly unemployment benefit applications ...

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WASHINGTON — Weekly applications for U.S. unemployment benefits jumped 46,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 388,000, the highest in four months. The increase represents a rebound from the previous week’s sharp drop. Both swings were largely due to technical ...

Tagged with: application business news jobs layoffs Unemployment