MW: U.S. weekly initial jobless claims fall 53,000 to 610,000
First-time claims for state unemployment benefits fell to their lowest level since the end of January in the latest week, the Labor Department reported Thursday, even as continuing jobless claims remained at a record high. Initial claims dropped by 53,000 to a seasonally adjusted 610,000 in the week ending April 11, the lowest since Jan. 24. The four-week average of initial claims fell by 8,500 to 651,000. For the week ending April 4, 6.02 million people were collecting state unemployment benefits, 172,000 more than the previous week. The four-week average of continuing claims also rose and hit a new record, climbing by 146,000 to 5.79 million.
