WASHINGTON: Fewer Americans filed new claims for US unemployment insurance benefits last week, the government said Thursday.
Initial jobless claims, a sign of the pace of layoffs, fell by 16,000 to 278,000 in the week ending January 23, the Labor Department said.
The prior week's level was revised up by 1,000 to 294,000.
The Labor Department said there were no special factors affecting the initial claims data.
The four-week moving average, which helps to smooth week-on-week volatility, slipped by 2,250 to 283,000. It was 291,750 a year ago.
Claims have held below 300,000 since late February 2015 as the labor market improves with solid jobs growth.
"The job market continues to do well even amid signs that the broader economy has slowed," said Ryan Sweet of Moody's Analytics.
The economy added 2.65 million jobs in 2015, and the unemployment rate held at a seven-year low of 5.0 percent for a third straight month in December.
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