WASHINGTON (AP) -- More Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, but the number of applications continues to be at historically low levels.<br />
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The Labor Department said Wednesday that applications for unemployment benefits climbed 17,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 298,000.<br />
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The four-week average, a less volatile measure, rose 250 to 290,750. That average has plummeted 17.5 percent in the past 12 months.<br />
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Applications are a proxy for layoffs. For almost four months, applications for jobless aid have hovered at relatively low sub-300,000 levels. That suggests that employers expect strong economic growth to continue, causing them to hold onto their staff and potentially hire additional workers.<br />
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As fewer people have sought unemployment benefits, job growth has steadily accelerated and helped fuel the economy.
