Washington DC, Sept. 10 -- The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits edged lower last week, indicating limited layoffs in the US labor market, according to data released by the US Department of Labor on Thursday.

Seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims stood at 206,000 in the week ended September 5, down by 1,000 from the previous week's revised level of 207,000, the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration said in its weekly unemployment insurance claims release.

The previous week's figure had initially been reported at 206,000 but was revised upward by 1,000 to 207,000.

The four-week moving average, which helps smooth out weekly fluctuations in the data, declined to 206,000,...