The number of people who applied for unemployment benefits last week fell to the lowest level in a month, dragging new jobless claims back near a post-recession low and suggesting all is well in the U.S. labor market. Initial jobless claims, a rough way to measure layoffs, sank by 16,000 to a seasonally adjusted 212,000 in the seven days ended May 11, the government said Thursday. Economists polled by MarketWatch estimated new claims would total 217,000. The more stable monthly average of new claims rose by 4,750 to 225,000, reflecting a runup in April tied largely to a late Easter holiday and spring break. The ... (full story)