U.S. jobless claims hold steady

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New claims for unemployment benefits were unchanged last week, according to government data on Thursday that will do little to ease concerns about a recent slowdown in jobs growth.

New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits were unchanged last week, according to government data on Thursday that will do little to ease concerns about a recent slowdown in jobs growth.

WASHINGTON – The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, pointing to resilience in the labour market despite belt-tightening by Washington. Still, other data on Thursday suggested the federal austerity drive was combining with weak overseas demand to hold U.S. factory activity in May to its weakest rate of growth in seven months.

New claims for unemployment benefits were unchanged last week, according to government data on Thursday.

New claims for US unemployment benefits held steady last week, the government said Thursday in a report showing the ailing labor market is slowly improving.Initial jobless claims totaled 351,000 in the week ending February 18, unchanged from the prior week's figure, which was revised from the original estimate of 348,000, the Labor Department said.In a fresh sign of improvement, the four-week moving average of initial jobless claims, which helps smooth out volatility in the weekly numbers, fell by 7,000 to 359,000.

New claims for unemployment benefits were unchanged last week, holding at the lowest level since the early days of the 2007-2009 recession.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New claims for unemployment benefits were unchanged last week, holding at the lowest level since the early days of the 2007-2009 recession and giving a fresh sign the battered labor market is healing.