New jobless claims down

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits edged down last week to the lowest point since mid-August.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that a seasonally adjusted 316,000 workers filed new applications for jobless benefits for the week ending Sept. 2, down by 3,000. That was the lowest since Aug. 12, when claims were at 314,000. The decrease was in line with many analysts' expectations.

Even with the decline, last week was the fourth in a row in which applications were hovering above the 300,000 mark, a sign that the hot labor market is cooling a bit.