And Now For the Latest Data on the Number of Americans Seeking Unemployment Aid: Minor Dip

Let's see how we did this week:

Applications for jobless benefits fell by 6,000 for the week ending August 24, bringing the total to 331,000, down from last week’s revised figure of 337,000, the Labor Department announced on Thursday.

This brings the number to a near five-year low.

The four-week moving average, a “less volatile” figure, fell by 750, bringing the total to 331,250, down from the previous unrevised average of 330,500.

“The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.3 percent for the week ending August 17, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate,” the report reads.

“The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending August 17 was 2,989,000, a decrease of 14,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,003,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,996,250, an increase of 9,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,986,750,” it adds.

The states with the largest increases in initial claims for the week ending August 17 were California (+5,867), Missouri (+1,757), New Jersey (+677), Kansas (+460), and New York (+445).

Meanwhile, North Carolina (-1,017), Pennsylvania (-899), Maryland (-722), Washington (-720), and Florida (-601) posted the biggest decreases in initial claims.

Markets haven’t exactly jumped on the news. But, then again, they have bigger things to focus on (war with Syria):