More Americans applied for jobless aid last week, but the total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits is at a 53-year low.

WASHINGTON -- More Americans applied for jobless aid last week, but the total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits is at a 53-year low.

Applications for unemployment benefits rose by 21,000 to 218,000 for the week ending May 14, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The total number of Americans collecting jobless benefits for the week ending May 7 fell again from the previous week, to 1,317,000.