Jobs, Good News | featured news

The number of Americans filing initial claims for unemployment insurance fell for the third straight week, according to weekly government data released Thursday.

Signs of a recovery in the U.S. labor market grew on Wednesday as data on the private sector labor market showed job gains for the first time since January 2008.

The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits dropped for a second consecutive week, further evidence that the job market is slowing improving.

The number of U.S. workers filing new applications for unemployment insurance fell sharply last week, while the number of those on continued benefits was the lowest since December 2008.

U.S. stocks rose broadly, with investors encouraged by a government report that job losses were less than expected in February.

Economists had expected the snowstorms to have a bigger impact, but job losses were surprisingly mild in February as employers cut 36,000 jobs.

The number of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week to the lowest total in a month, a sign the job market may be improving.

The nation's unemployment rate tumbled unexpectedly to 9.7% in January, first time it's fallen below double digits since September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.

The economy's service sector grew in January for the first time since September while the pace of job losses moderated, a private trade group said Wednesday.

A government report Thursday on claims for unemployment aid signaled that layoffs are easing and that the economy could be on the verge of posting the first monthly gain in jobs in two years.