The number of people filing for unemployment benefits declined 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 266,000 in the August 6 week, the Labor Department said Thursday.
Initial claims have been below the key 300,000 threshold for 75 weeks in a row, the longest such streak since 1970.
Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had forecast claims would total 265,000.
The 4-week moving average, which smooths out weekly volatility, rose 3,000 to 262,750.
Continuing claims rose by 14,000 and totaled 2.16 million in the most recent week.
