U.S. unemployment benefit applications likely remained at lower levels last week, signaling steady job gains will continue. Applications fell two weeks ago to a seasonally adjusted 334,000 and the less volatile four-week average declined to 345,250. Both levels are close to five-year lows reached in early May. The Labor Department will release the report at 8:30 a.m. EDT Thursday. Applications are a proxy for layoffs. Since January, they have fallen 6.5 percent, suggesting that companies are cutting fewer jobs. At the same time, hiring has been steady this year, despite higher taxes and steep government spending cuts ... (full story)