Jobless claims hover at ultra-low 239,000

New applications for unemployment benefits only slightly ticked up to 239,000 in the third full week of President Trump’s presidency, the Department of Labor reported Thursday, after scraping the lowest levels in four decades the week before.

Thursday’s number was well below forecasters’ expectations which were for claims to rebound to 246,000 after hitting an ultra-low 234,000 in the first week of February.