Jobless claims fell again last week

First-time applications for unemployment benefits fell last week, another sign that the labor market’s health is continuing to improve. 

Claims for jobless aid decreased 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 289,000, as employers lay off fewer workers, the Labor Department said Thursday.

{mosads}The less volatile four-week average held steady, too, declining 750 to 298,750.

Applications have mostly stayed below 300,000 since September.

The labor market added 321,000 jobs in November, the most in three years, bringing the 11-month total to 2.65 million jobs created, the best showing since 1999. 

The most recent data show that 2.37 million people are receiving jobless benefits, a steep drop from the more than 4 million last year.