BUSINESS BRIEFING
Times Wire Reports
The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest since January, a sign the labor market is deteriorating more slowly.
Applications fell by 33,000 to 521,000, lower than forecast, in the week that ended Oct. 3, from a revised 554,000 the week before, Labor Department data showed.
The total number of people collecting unemployment insurance dropped in the prior week to the lowest since March.
