Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Vermont dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday. New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 386 in the week ending January 25, down from 436 the week before, the Labor Department said.

The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, pointing to low layoffs though job opportunities are becoming scarce for those who are out of work.