The number of first-time jobless claims in the US fell for the third week in a row, adding further signs of a recovery in the labor market.

According to data released by the Labor Department on Thursday, the number of people claiming unemployment benefits for the first time in the week ending August 7 was 375,000, in line with the median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week.

The number of people who continued to apply for unemployment benefits fell to 2.9 million for the week ending July 31.

As economic activity picked up, business conditions improved, and a record number of job vacancies, the number of people claiming unemployment benefits for the first time since this year was generally on a downward trend. Although the decline is expected to continue in the coming months, the delta (delta) outbreak poses a risk to the Soviet pace.

The states with the biggest drop in first-time jobless claims last week include Michigan and New York. California saw the biggest increase in the number of applicants, followed by Virginia and Maryland.

About half of the states ended supplementary unemployment benefits due to the pandemic, which were originally due in September, prematurely on the grounds that the supplementary benefits made it more difficult for companies to recruit. The governors of some of these states have been sued in court to question whether they have the legal authority to stop supplementary relief. These lawsuits may cause some states to resume suspended relief until the relevant plans officially expire.