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 WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of people receiving unemployment benefits reached a four-year low last week, fresh evidence of a strengthening economy. The number of laid-off workers receiving jobless benefits averaged 2.58 million over the four weeks ending last week, the lowest four-week average since March 2001, the Labor Department reported Thursday.
For just last week, the number of newly laid off workers applying for benefits fell by a better-than-expected 4,000 from the previous week to 315,000, the lowest level for new claims since the first week in August.
Analysts said both the drop in total benefits being paid and the decline in new benefit applications pointed to an economy that was continuing to create jobs.
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