The number of initial jobless claims—a measure of Americans newly applying for unemployment benefits—fell in late January, in a sign that the robust U.S. labor market remains on solid footing.
The Labor Department said in a release (pdf) that the number of initial jobless claims dropped by 7,000 to a seasonally adjusted 216,000 for the week ended Jan. 25, while the four-week moving average of initial claims, which irons out week-to-week volatility, fell 1,750 to 214,500.
