The number of Americans signing up for unemployment compensation dropped a bit last week.

Thursday's report from the Labor Department says first-time jobless claims fell by 6,000 to a nationwide total of 403,000.

That continues a gradual improvement in the labor market that has seen claims fall by 25,000 since September.

While policymakers will welcome the change, it is not enough to cut the U.S. unemployment rate which is a relatively high 9.1 percent.