More Americans apply for unemployment benefits but layoffs still historically low

By MATT OTT
AP Business Writer

The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits rose last week to the highest level in 11 weeks, though layoffs remain at historically low levels. Applications for unemployment benefits climbed to 224,000 for the week ending Jan. 27, an increase of 9,000 from the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Weekly unemployment claims are seen as a proxy for the number of U.S. layoffs in a given week. Overall, 1.9 million Americans were collecting jobless benefits during the week that ended Jan. 20, an increase of 70,000 from the previous week.