Weekly jobless claims 400,000, roughly 24,000 less than previous week, feds

The number of first-time federal job claims last week was 400,000, roughly 24,000 less than previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The number of weekly applications has fluctuated during the pandemic but overall has steadily declined – from a peak of 904,000 in early January. However, they remain high by historic standards, according to the Associated Press.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic began in the U.S. in March 2020, claims were about 220,000 a week, the wire service also reports.

The emergence of the virus' highly contagious delta variant is threatening to again slow down the U.S. and global economy.