US applications for jobless aid rise, but still near lows

WASHINGTON (AP) — More Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, but applications still stayed near historic lows that point to a stable job market.

Employers are confident that the U.S. economy will continue to grow, after global pressures and an uneven stock market stirred concerns at the start of the year.

Economists expect that Friday's jobs report will show that employers hired roughly 200,000 workers in February as the unemployment rate held at an eight-year low of 4.9 percent.