WASHINGTON - Initial jobless claims fell to 450,000 in the week ending Sept. 11, the lowest level since July, the Labor Department reported today.
Continuing claims fell to 4.485 million for the week ending Sept. 4.
Economists expected 460,000 initial claims and 4.46 million continuing claims, according to the median estimate from Thomson Reuters.
Initial claims for the week ending Sept. 4 were revised higher to 453,000 from 451,000 reported last week. Continuing claims were revised to 4.511 million from 4.478 million.
The four-week average of initial claims, a less volatile figure, fell to 464,750. The four-week average has declined for three weeks in a row following four consecutive weekly increases. The four-week average for continuing claims fell to 4.503 million.
Two states, Washington and Pennsylvania, reported an increase of more than 1,000 initial jobless claims for the week ending Sept. 4. Three states reported a decrease of more than 1,000.
The number of people receiving emergency unemployment compensation fell by 402,116 to 4.108 million for the week ending Aug. 28.
