Fewer Americans apply for jobless benefits last week

By MATT OTT
AP Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fewer Americans applied for jobless aid last week as the number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits remains near five-decade lows. Applications for unemployment benefits fell by 8,000 to 210,000 for the week ending May 21, the Labor Department reported Thursday. First-time applications are generally representative of the number of layoffs. American workers are enjoying historically strong job security two years after the coronavirus pandemic plunged the economy into a short but devastating recession. Weekly applications for unemployment aid have been consistently below the pre-pandemic level of 225,000 for most of 2022.