It was a least-worst case scenario Thursday morning. Figures released by the U.S. Labor Department revealed 709,000 Americans applied for unemployment benefits for the week ended November 7, down from 757,000 the week before.
This marked the fourth consecutive week that the total declined from the previous period, though claims remain above the pre-pandemic record 695,000 in 1982.
First-time claims for unemployment benefits were expected to total 740,000 last week, according to economists surveyed by Dow Jones.
The figure is being called a fresh pandemic low. One source says,"(it) seems record coronavirus spike hasn't caused a new rash of layoffs - so far."
MORE TO COME
