US Unemployment Benefits 10,000 Applications

The number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits edged up slightly to a still-low 239,000 last week. 

Meanwhile, the four-week average fell to a fresh 44-year low, evidence that the job market remains healthy.

 Applications for jobless aid rose by a seasonally adjusted 10,000 last week after having fallen by 5,000 the previous week, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The four-week average, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, dropped to 231,250, a decline of 1,250 from the previous week.