Unemployment claims decline slightly as 847,000 more Americans seek unemployment assistance

The number of Americans claiming state unemployment benefits fell slightly, but remained high last week as the labor market struggled to recover from a surge in COVID-19 infections across the country. countries and new restrictions to help curb the spread of the virus.

Figures released Thursday by the Labor Department show that 847,000 Americans filed for unemployment for the first time during the week ended Jan. 23, slightly lower than the 875,000 forecast by economists at Refinitiv.

The number is almost four times the pre-crisis level, but is well below the high of nearly 7 million that was reached when the home orders were first issued in March. Nearly 70 million Americans, or about 40% of the workforce, have applied for unemployment benefits during the pandemic.

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