unemployment claims

New data from the U.S. Labor Department indicates fewer Americans are applying for unemployment benefits.

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits was unchanged last week at a seasonally adjusted 374,000, suggesting slow improvement in the job market.

The number of people seeking first-time unemployment benefits rose a slight 4,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 372,000, evidence that the job market's recovery remains modest and uneven.

Employers are continuing to hire at a healthy pace.  The number of people seeking unemployment benefits in the United States fell to a four-year low last week.  Weekly applications dropped 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 357,000 according to the Labor Department.  That's the fewest since April 2008.

New Jersey has been able to reduce its unemployment insurance tab to the federal government partly because of a crackdown on fraud. The state says it's nabbing an average of 2,000 people a week who return to work but continue to collect benefits.

The number of people seeking unemployment benefits rose last week after three weeks of decline.