The number of job seekers south of the border filing for unemployment benefits rose less than expected last week, pointing to a further tightening in labour market conditions.
Figures released Thursday by the U.S. Labor Department show initial claims for state unemployment benefits edged up 1,000 to a seasonally-adjusted 260,000 for the week ended Sept. 10. Claims for the prior week were unrevised.
Economists had forecast first-time applications for jobless benefits rising to 265,000 in the latest week.
It was the 80th straight week that claims remained below the 300,000 threshold, something associated with robust labour market conditions, and the longest stretch since 1970, when the labour market was much smaller.
The four-week moving average of claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, slipped 500 to 260,750 last week.
Claims likely have little room for decline further as the American labour market nears full employment.
