The number of people applying for U.S. unemployment benefits dipped last week to the lowest level since mid-July as layoffs remain low and most American workers enjoy job security.
The Labor Department said Thursday that initial jobless claims ticked down to 197,000 from a revised 198,000 the week before. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, dropped by 2,500 to 200,000.
