WASHINGTON – Initial jobless claims fell to 453,000 for the week ending June 5, the third straight decrease, as the four-week average increased for the fifth consecutive week, the Labor Department reported today.
Continuing claims fell to 4.462 million for the week ending May 29.
Economists expected 448,000 initial claims and 4.640 million continuing claims, according to the median estimate from Thomson Reuters.
Initial claims for the week ending May 29 were revised higher to 459,000 from the 453,000 figure reported last week. Continuing claims for the week ending May 22 were upwardly revised to 4.717 million from 4.666 million.
The four-week moving average of initial claims, a less volatile figure, increased to 463,000, the fifth weekly increase. The continuing claims four-week average decreased to 4.618 million for the week ending May 29, from 4.667 million the previous week.
