The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits increased slightly over the past week, but remained at low levels indicative of the strength of the US labor market.
According to the US Department of Labor, the number of applications reached 205 thousand applications in the week ending December 16, an increase of two thousand applications from the previous week, which is less than the forecasts of experts who were expecting 215 thousand applications.
The ministry pointed out that this figure is the second lowest since mid-October, and reflects the continued recovery of the labor market, and the growth of demand for labor in various sectors.
