WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits was unchanged last week at a seasonally adjusted 374,000, suggesting slow improvement in the job market.

The Labor Department said Thursday the four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, increased to 370,250.

Applications for unemployment benefits reflect the pace of layoffs. They have risen slightly over the past three weeks, though they remain lower than in spring, when hiring nearly stalled. Last week’s number was revised upward to 374,000 from the 372,000 that was reported initially.

Still, when applications fall below 375,000, it generally indicates that hiring is strong enough to lower the unemployment rate.

The latest applications data suggest that the government’s employment report for August will show job gains near the recent monthly average of 100,000, said Paul Dales, senior U.S. economist with Capital Economics.