The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits was less than estimated last week and near a four-decade low, indicating the job market remains tight, Labor Department data showed Thursday.
Firings remain historically low, as employers hold on to existing staff amid a shrinking pool of available workers and record-high openings. Benefit claims may have declined earlier this month in part due to the end of seasonal retooling in the auto sector. A robust labor market remains a primary driver of Americans’ improving attitudes about the economy and will help support consumer spending in the second half of the year.
