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WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits dropped by a larger-than-expected amount last week, indicating the nation's labor market remains strong.
The Labor Department reported that 278,000 laid-off workers applied for jobless benefits last week, a decline of 20,000 from the previous week.
It was the biggest drop in five weeks, since a decrease of 36,000 claims the week ending Jan. 14. Weekly jobless applications have been below 300,000 for six straight weeks, a range that reflects healthy job conditions.
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