Fewer Weekly Jobless Claims In Ohio

The Labor Department says the number of weekly claims for unemployment insurance benefits in Ohio fell last week by more than 13-hundred, due to fewer layoffs in manufacturing.

Nationally, claims *rose* by 38-thousand to a seasonally adjusted 368-thousand. The increase comes after applications fell in the previous two weeks to five-year lows. The volatility reflects the department's difficulty adjusting the data to account for layoffs after the holiday shopping season.