The US Labor Department said today that weekly applications for jobless benefits fell 11,000 to a seasonally adjusted 254,000. 
The figure is down from a three-month high in the previous week. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, ticked up 1,750 to 259,750. Just over 2 million people are receiving unemployment aid, up 18,000 from the previous week. 
Applications, which are a proxy for layoffs, have remained below 300,000 for 88 straight weeks, the longest streak since 1970.