A report from the Labor Department says that unemployment benefit applications dropped by 2,000. The four-week average also declined. Analysts say that the lower level of applications could mean better hiring in May. Economists expect job gains of around 160,000 this month. The unemployment rate is currently 8.1%, partly due to people finding work, but also due to people leaving the job market.
See "Fewer Americans Files for Jobless Benefits", The Associated Press, The New York Times, May 23, 2012