More Americans file for jobless claims; layoffs remain low

By MATT OTT
AP Business Writer

U.S. applications for jobless benefits rose last week but remain at historically low levels despite the Federal Reserve’s efforts to cool the economy and job market in its fight against inflation. Jobless claims in the U.S. for the week ending March 25 rose by 7,000 to 198,000 from the previous week, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week moving average of claims, which evens out some of the week-to-week fluctuations, rose by 2,000 to 198,250, remaining below the 200,000 threshold for the tenth straight week. Applications for unemployment benefits are broadly seen reflective of the number of layoffs in the U.S.