(NEWSnet/AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week.

Jobless claims fell to 202,000 for the week ending Dec. 30, down by 18,000 from the previous week, U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.

About 1.86 million Americans were collecting jobless benefits during the week that ended Dec. 23, a decrease of 31,000 from the previous week and the fewest in two months.

Weekly unemployment claims are a proxy for layoffs. They have remained at extraordinarily low levels in the face of high interest rates.

The number of job openings has fallen, but remain at historically healthy levels. On Wednesday, the government reported that America’s employers posted 8.8 million job openings in November, down slightly from October and the fewest since March 2021. However, demand for workers remains strong by historical standards.

The combination of decelerating inflation and low unemployment has raised hopes that the Fed is managing a so-called soft landing: raising rates just enough to bring down prices without causing a recession.

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