Jobless Claims Drop Sharply, As Employers Curb Layoffs
By Christopher Rugaber
WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell sharply for a fourth straight week, a sign that the job market may be improving.
The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications for unemployment benefits fell 29,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 343,000, the lowest in two months. It is the second-lowest total this year.
