U.S. unemployment rolls shrinking in boost to labor market recovery

WASHINGTON, Aug 5 (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits declined further last week, while layoffs dropped to their lowest level in just over 21 years in July as companies held on to workers amid a labor shortage.

The weekly unemployment claims report from the Labor Department on Thursday, the most timely data on the economy's health, also showed the number of people on state jobless rolls dropped in late July to its lowest level since March 2020, when mandatory closures of nonessential businesses were enforced to slow the first wave of COVID-19 cases.

Though the data falls outside the survey period for July's closely watched employment report, it bolstered economists' expectations for another month of strong payrolls gains. The employment report for July is due to be released on Friday.