Weekly Jobless Claims Fall, Point to Healing Job Market

By Jason Lange

WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week to one of its lowest levels since before the 2007-09 recession, a sign of increasing health in the labor market.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped by 11,000 to a seasonally adjusted 304,000 for the week ended July 5, the Labor Department said Thursday.