00:00New applications for unemployment benefits dipped to 197,000 last week,
00:05keeping layoffs near historically low levels. Claims have remained below 200,000 for four
00:11straight weeks, signaling that employers are largely holding on to workers, even as hiring
00:16slows sharply. The economy added just 29,000 jobs in September, while long-term unemployment has
00:23climbed to its highest level in five years. The result is an unusual labor market defined by few
00:29layoffs but increasingly limited opportunities for job seekers.
