Jobless Claims, Help-Wanted Index Steady

The Labor Department said weekly claims for jobless benefits were unchanged at 322,000 last week, and a help-wanted advertising index showed no change in April. Economists typically view claims at the low end of the 300,000 range as suggestive of a firm labor market. In another report, the Conference Board said its help-wanted advertising index was unchanged in April from March at 88. The private business research group surveys advertising volume in 51 major newspapers nationwide each month. “The labor market seems likely to tighten even more in the months ahead,” said Ken Goldstein, an economist at the Conference Board. “Given an already low 4.9% unemployment rate, that is good news for job seekers.”