US jobless claims down 24,000 to 400,000 as economy recovers

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits slid last week, another sign that the job market continues to recover rapidly from the coronavirus recession. The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims dropped by 24,000 to 400,000 last week. The weekly applications have fallen more or less steadily this year — from a peak of 904,000 in early to January. But they remain high by historic standards.