Unemployment Aid Applications Tick Down To 400K

By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of people seeking unemployment benefits dipped last week, a sign the job market may be improving slowly.

The Labor Department says that applications for unemployment benefits edged down 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 400,000. That's the lowest level in four months. The previous week's figure was revised upward from 398,000 to 401,000.