Applications for jobless benefits drop slightly

WASHINGTON - Fewer people applied for unemployment benefits last week, but the drop wasn't enough to reverse a big increase the previous week.

Applications for jobless benefits fell by 23,000 to a seasonally adjusted 452,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The decline comes after the department substantially revised the previous week's figure to show a rise of 26,000 - double the increase initially reported.

Even with last week's decline, applications remain stuck around 450,000.

The four-week average dropped by 4,250 to 458,000. Still, that's above the figure from two weeks ago. - AP