Requests for jobless aid decline 2,000 in week

5/25/2012

WASHINGTON -- The number of people who applied for jobless benefits last week stayed about the same, the government reported Thursday, in another sign that the U.S. economy is not adding jobs as fast as it was during the late winter months.

Jobless claims dipped by 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 370,000 in the week ended May 19, the U.S. Labor Department said.

The four-week average of new claims fell by 5,500 to 370,000, the lowest level in six weeks. The four-week average is seen as a more accurate barometer of labor-market trends.