Continuing claims were at the highest level since November 2021, a sign that workers are having trouble finding new positions after they are laid off.

Applications for US unemployment benefits declined for a fifth straight week to the lowest level since mid-April, showing a resilient job market.

The number of Americans who newly filed for unemployment benefits declined last week, the Labor Department said Thursday, another reassuring sign about the health of the job market. Jobless claims filings fell to 221,