WASHINGTON—The number of Americans filing first-time claims for jobless benefits unexpectedly dipped last week while staying extremely high, with the labor market recovery appearing to stall as a raging COVID-19 pandemic threatens to overwhelm the country. Other data on Thursday showed layoffs announced by U.S. companies surged 18.9 percent in December. Still, the economy is unlikely to slide back into recession after the government approved additional pandemic relief in late December. More fiscal stimulus is likely. “Given that coronavirus caseloads remain extremely high and are set to increase in the near term due to holiday travel and parties, the labor market will remain soft over the next few months,” said Gus Faucher, chief economist at PNC Financial in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dipped 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 787,000 for the week ended Jan. 2, compared to 790,000 in the prior week, the Labor Department said. …