US Requests for Jobless Aid Rose, but Level Still Near Lows

More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, but the level remains near historic lows that point to a healthy job market

A'GACI clothing store hiring manager Marcie Lowe (R) gives her card to job applicant Xionara Garcia (L) of Miami, during a job fair at Dolphin Mall in Miami on Oct. 6, 2015. AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee

WASHINGTON—More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, but the level remains near historic lows that point to a healthy job market.

The Numbers

Applications for jobless aid rose 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 284,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. The less volatile 4-week average rose 3,000 to 278,750. Over the past 12 months, the number of people collecting benefits has fallen 6.3 percent to 2.3 million.

The Takeaway

The stock market has suffered a tumultuous start to 2016, but U.S. employers largely appear to be confident in the economy. Consumers have stayed resilient despite global challenges as growth prospects in China have become increasingly uncertain and oil prices flirt with a low $30 a barrel.

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