 "US job data")
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, while layoffs declined sharply in February, indicating that the labor market recovery was gaining steam.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 18,000 to a seasonally adjusted 215,000 for the week ended Feb. 26, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 225,000 applications for the latest week.
It was the second straight weekly decline in claims. With a near record 10.9 million job openings at the end of December, companies are holding on to their workers.
Claims could soon fall back below
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