Unemployment rates declined last month in more than half of the 372 largest U.S. cities, further evidence of steady improvement in the job market. The Labor Department says rates fell in 201 metro areas. They rose in 116 and were unchanged in 55.
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose 46,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 388,000, reversing a sharp decline in the prior week but still pointing to a labor market that is slowly healing.
Unemployment rates rose in more than half of U.S. states last month, the latest evidence that hiring remains tepid across the country. Unemployment also rose in seven of the 11 key swing states in this year's presidential election.
The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits jumped to the highest level in two months, although the figures were skewed in part by Hurricane Isaac. Applications increased by 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 382,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. That's up from 367,000 the previous week.
The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits fell last week to its lowest level in a month, an upbeat signal for a labor market that has struggled to create enough jobs.
The combination of harsh austerity and high uncertainty kept unemployment across the 17-country eurozone at a record high 11.3% in July. The data, reported by Eurostat Friday, underscores the huge task the continent's leaders face to restore confidence in its economy.
The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits was unchanged last week, pointing to a labor market that was treading water.
Unemployment in the 17-country euro currency bloc hit another record high in May -- 11.1% -- as the crippling financial crisis pushed the continent toward the brink of recession, official figures showed Monday.
The number of people applying for U.S. unemployment benefits ticked down last week after dropping sharply the previous week, evidence hiring could pick up this month.
The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits remained stuck near a three-month high last week, a sign that hiring has likely slowed since winter.
Slightly more people applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week. But the overall initial jobless claims level stayed near last week's rate, which was the lowest in four years -- and low enough to suggest the job market is strengthening.
The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell to the lowest point in almost four years last week, the latest signal that the job market is steadily improving. Weekly applications for unemployment benefits dropped 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 348,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.
The number of people seeking unemployment aid neared a four-year low last week, a positive sign that strong hiring could continue in the coming months. The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications for unemployment benefits fell 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 358,000. That's the second-lowest level since April 2008.
The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to a level that signaled a steadily improving job market. The figures came one day before the government is expected to report that January marked another solid month for hiring.
A burst of hiring in December pushed the unemployment rate to its lowest level in nearly three years, giving the economy a boost at the end of 2011. The Labor Department said Friday that employers added a net 200,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent, the lowest since February 2009. The rate has dropped for four straight months.