WASHINGTON — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits dropped by 35,000 last week, a figure that may have been distorted by seasonal factors. The Labor Department said Thursday that applications fell to a seasonally adjusted 353,000. That’s down ...

Tagged with: application auto industry Economy employees employers housing market job market jobs Labor Department layoffs retail sales Unemployment unemployment benefits

WASHINGTON — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits plunged last week. But a big reason is that automakers have skipped some of their usual summer shutdowns to keep up with demand, causing fewer temporary auto layoffs. Economists expect ...

Tagged with: automakers economists Economy employees employers federal reserve jobs Labor Department layoffs Unemployment unemployment benefits

WASHINGTON — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits fell last week, but the level of applications remains too high to signal a pickup in hiring. The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications fell to a seasonally adjusted ...

Tagged with: application Economy employees employers federal reserve growth jobs Labor Department layoffs Manufacturing Unemployment unemployment benefits

WASHINGTON — The number of people applying for U.S. unemployment benefits fell last week for the first time in five weeks. But the drop suggests only modest job growth after three months of weak hiring. The Labor Department said Thursday ...

Tagged with: application Economy employees employers hiring jobs Labor Department Unemployment unemployment benefits wages

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose last week to a five-week high, evidence that the job market remains sluggish. The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications for unemployment aid rose 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted ...

Tagged with: application building permits consumer confidence economists Economy employees employers hiring homes housing job market jobs Labor Department Unemployment unemployment benefits

WASHINGTON — The number of people applying for U.S. unemployment benefits ticked down last week following a sharp drop the previous week. Applications are falling again after rising for most of April, suggesting hiring could pick up this month. Weekly ...

Tagged with: aid application Economy employees employers hiring jobs Labor Department layoffs Recession Unemployment unemployment benefits

WASHINGTON — The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell last week by the most in nearly a year. The figure was a hopeful sign that hiring could pick up in coming months. The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly ...

Tagged with: adp application Economy employees employers growth hiring jobs Labor Department Manufacturing Unemployment unemployment benefits

WASHINGTON — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits suggests hiring is slowing. The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications dipped last week by 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 386,000. But that was only after the department revised ...

Tagged with: application economists employees employers job job market Labor Department Unemployment unemployment benefits

WASHINGTON — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits fell to a four-year low last week, suggesting employers kept hiring in March at a healthy pace. Weekly applications dropped 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 357,000, the Labor Department said ...

Tagged with: application consumer spending Economy employees employers growth hiring income jobs Labor Department layoffs Manufacturing Unemployment unemployment benefits

WASHINGTON — The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits dropped last week to the lowest level in four years, adding to evidence that the job market is strengthening. Applications for weekly unemployment benefits fell by 5,000 to a seasonally ...

Tagged with: application businesses commerce department debt crisis Economy growth hiring housing market job market Labor Department Retail Unemployment unemployment benefits