US Filings for Jobless Aid, a Proxy for Layoffs, Inch Down Modestly Last Week as Uncertainty Lingers

By MATT OTT, Associated Press Business Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans filing unemployment claims last week fell slightly as businesses continue to retain employees despite growing economic uncertainty over U.S. trade policy. Applications for jobless benefits fell by 2,000 to 227,000 for the week ending May 17, the Labor Department said Thursday. That’s pretty close to the 230,000 new applications analysts forecast. Weekly appli…