WASHINGTON — Initial jobless claims fell 42,000 to 415,000 in the week ended Jan. 29, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Continuing jobless claims fell 84,000 to 3.925 million.
Economists expected 420,000 initial and 3.95 million continuing claims. Initial jobless claims averaged 453,000 a week the past year and 397,000 a week the past decade.