FEWER Americans filed for jobless benefits last week despite efforts by the Federal Reserve (Fed) to loosen the labor market with higher interest rates as it tries to cool the economy.

Applications for jobless aid in the US for the week ending on February 11 fell by 1,000 last week to 194,000, from 195,000 the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. It is the fifth straight week claims were under 200,000.

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