US jobless claims unchanged at 205,000

By PAUL WISEMAN
AP Economics Writer

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits was unchanged last week, remaining at a historically low level that reflects the job market’s strong recovery from the coronavirus recession last year. Jobless claims were unchanged from the week before at 205,000. The four-week average, which smooths out week-to-week ups and downs, rose to just over 206,000. Altogether, 1.9 million Americans were collecting traditional unemployment aid the week that ended Dec. 11. The weekly claims numbers, a proxy for layoffs, have fallen steadily most of the year. Employers are reluctant to let workers go at a time when it’s so tough to find replacements.