The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, pointing to low layoffs though job opportunities are becoming scarce for those who are out of work.

Fewer Americans filed for initial jobless benefits last week, according to the Department of Labor, evidence the U.S. has continued to avoid a serious uptick in layoffs. The week through Jan. 25 brought 207,

Weekly applications for unemployment insurance in the US dropped unexpectedly, while continuing claims also fell, government data showed Thursday. The seasonally adjusted number of initial claims decreased by 16,

Ahead of Thursday’s open, we see a drop in the blue-chip Dow index — perhaps a function of market participants spending more time with Big Tech stocks, many of which are posting, or have posted, earnings this week.