WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of newly laid off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits fell slightly last week.
The Labor Department reported Thursday that applications for jobless benefits fell to 301,000 last week, a drop of 2,000 from the previous week.
The performance was slightly better than economists had been expecting. They had been forecasting that jobless claims would rise by about 2,000.
The four-week average for claims dipped to 308,500 last week, down from an average of 312,500 in the previous week.
