US applications for jobless benefits lowest in 15 weeks

By MATT OTT
AP Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. applications for unemployment benefits fell last week to their lowest level in 15 weeks as the job market continues to show resiliency in the face of the Federal Reserve’s attempts to cool the economy. The number of Americans applying for jobless aid for the week ending Jan. 7 fell by 1,000 from the previous week, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week moving average of claims, which softens some of the week-to-week volatility, fell by 1,750 to 212,500. Jobless claims are generally viewed as a proxy for layoffs. About 1.63 million people were receiving jobless aid the week that ended Dec. 31.