The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits fell to a seven-month low last week, suggesting layoffs remained low, though the labor market is struggling to generate enough jobs for those out of work amid economic uncertainty.

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Ohio rose last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday. New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased to 7,206 in the week ending November 29, up from 6,765 the week before, the Labor Department said.

The dollar index (DXY00) on Thursday rose by +0.17%. The dollar recovered from a 5-week low on Thursday and moved higher after US weekly initial unemployment claims unexpectedly fell to a 3-year low,

The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits fell last week, but more out of work people are struggling to find new opportunities amid weak hiring. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 8,

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and other major stock indexes rose modestly in premarket trading Thursday, as Wall Street awaited weekly jobless claims. Among the losers, artificial intelligence stock Snowflake SNOW plunged on the stock market today after the company's earnings results.