By Rex Nutting
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The number of first-time applications for state unemployment benefits fell by 7,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 444,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The four-week average of new claims fell by 4,750 to 458,500. The number of people receiving state benefits fell by 59,000 to a seasonally adjusted 4.59 million in the week ending April 24. A total of 10.4 million people (not seasonally adjusted) were receiving some kind of unemployment benefits in the week of April 17, about 16,000 higher than the previous week.
