8,000 Fewer Americans Ask for Unemployment Benefits, in Sign of Continued Job Market Strength

Betty Fernandez (L), from Macy's department store, speaks with Paul Cunningham about job openings during a job fair put on by Miami-Dade County and other sponsors in Miami, Fla., on April 05, 2019. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell by 8,000 in the week ended April 6. The decline suggests the jobs market remains hot with job openings still far outpacing the number of people actively looking for jobs.

While there were 204,000 newly claimed jobless benefits in the week ending March 30, the number dropped the following week to 196,000 (pdf), the least since Oct. 4, 1969. At that time, however, there were nearly 40 percent fewer people in the country. Counted as a rate per 100,000 Americans, the jobless claims now for the first time fell below 60.