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Fewer Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week as the need to retain staff keeps firings at the lowest levels in more than a decade.

Applications for U.S. unemployment benefits rose more than forecast last week, representing a pause from a recent run of readings close to a 14-year low.

Applications for unemployment benefits in the U.S. unexpectedly dropped last week to their lowest level in 14 years as employers avoided trimming staff even as global growth weakens.

The number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, pushing the average over the past month to the lowest level in eight years and signaling that employers are hanging on to workers as the economy improves.

Applications for unemployment benefits in the U.S. were little changed last week as an improving economy prompted businesses to retain staff.

Applications for unemployment benefits in the U.S. rose more than forecast last week, interrupting a steady decline to pre-recession lows.

INDIANAPOLIS — The first thing you notice when entering Indianapolis Motor Speedway is its size. The banked track at 2½ miles around is 10 times as large as a typical football field and more than twice as big as most horse-racing tracks.

Jobless claims increased by 2,000 to 304,000 in the week ended April 12 from a revised 302,000 the prior period that was the lowest since September 2007, a Labor Department report reported April 17.

Jobless claims fell by 32,000 last week to 300,000 — the lowest since May 2007, the Labor Department reported April 10.

Initial jobless claims rose by 16,000 last week, the Labor Department reported April 3.