The number of new US jobless claims fell slightly last week, the US government said today, but the number of people on benefit rolls at its highest level in nearly nine years.
First-time claims for state unemployment benefits fell by 1,000 in the week ended August 25th, down from a revised 400,000 in the prior week, the US labour department said.
New claims exceeded Wall Street's expectations for a rise to 394,000 from the 393,000 Labor originally reported for the week ended August 18th.
In a sign that many Americans are still struggling to find work, so-called continued claims - for those who have already filed for at least a week of benefits - rose to 3.17 million in the week ended August 18th, the highest level since September 1992.