Fewer Auto Closings Reduce U.S. Unemployment Claims

By Christopher S. Rugaber and Tom Krisher


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits plunged last week. But a big reason is that automakers have skipped some of their usual summer shutdowns to keep up with demand, causing fewer temporary auto layoffs.

Economists expect the number of Americans seeking unemployment aid to go back up in coming weeks.