MW: Jobless claims unexpectedly fall in latest week
By Greg Robb
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - First-time claims for state unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell in the latest week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The number of initial claims in the week ending Nov. 29 fell 21,000 to 509,000. It's the lowest level of claims in four weeks. The consensus forecast of Wall Street economists was for claims to rise to 540,000. Claims in the previous week were revised to a decrease of 13,000 to 530,000 compared with the initial estimate of a fall of 14,000 to 529,000. The four-week average of initial claims rose 6,250 to 518,250. This is the highest level since December 1982. Meanwhile, the number of Americans receiving state jobless benefits rose 89,000 to 4.09 million in the week ending Nov. 22. This is also the highest level since December 1982. The four-week moving average of continuing claims rose 63,750 to 4.0 million.
