Nearly three million more U.S. workers file for unemployment

Nearly three million more American people filed for unemployment benefits in the week ending May 9, according to the U.S. Department of Labor as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to batter the labor market. 

The initial claim from last week - 2.981 million - was down from 3.176 million in the prior week and marked the sixth straight weekly drop, despite the number still standing high and well above any week prior to the pandemic. 

The new data has brought the total job losses since the pandemic's arrival in mid-March to 36.5 million in the U.S.

(With input from agencies)