(CN) - The Labor Department reported Thursday that the number of jobless claims by Americans remained at a historic low last week despite a slight uptick in unemployment benefit applications.
According to the government, applications for unemployment benefits last week rose 14,000 to a seasonally adjusted 266,000.
The four-week average, a less volatile measure, slipped 1,000 to 256,500.
The application numbers suggest businesses are confident enough about the future to hold onto their employees.
The number of people seeking aid has been below 300,000 for 73 straight weeks, the longest streak since 1973.
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