The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits increased last week, though layoffs remain within the historically healthy range seen in recent years. According to the Labor Department's report released Thursday, U.S. filings for jobless aid for the week ending August 1 rose by 1,000 to 199,000. The previous week's figure was revised upward by 1,000 to 198,000. Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered a close-to-real-time indicator of the U.S. job market's health.