Jobless claims plunge to their lowest level in 52 years
CBSN
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits plummeted last week to the lowest level in more than half a century, with employers opting against layoffs amid a persistent shortage of workers.
Jobless claims dropped by 71,000 to 199,000, the lowest since mid-November 1969, according to figures released by the Labor Department on Thursday. The drop was much bigger than economists expected.
The four-week average of claims, which smooths out weekly ups and downs, also dropped — by 21,000 to just over 252,000, the lowest since mid-March 2020 when the pandemic slammed the economy. Overall, 2 million Americans were collecting traditional unemployment checks the week that ended Nov. 13, down slightly from the week before.

Washington — President Trump said early Monday that he is postponing airstrikes on Iran's power plants after "very good and productive conversations" over the last two days about reopening the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iran's foreign ministry denied any such talks. Claire Day contributed to this report. In:












