Jobless claims plunge to four-year low
Claims fall 30,000 to 339,000, well below expectations
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The number of U.S. workers who filed new applications for unemployment benefits dropped sharply, by 30,000, last week to 339,000, the lowest level in more than four years, the Labor Department reported Thursday in what may have been the result of a statistical fluke.
Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected initial claims in the week of Oct. 6 to rise 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 368,000. Last week’s number was revised up by 2,000 to 369,000.
The four-week average of new claims, meanwhile, dropped 11,500 to 364,000, the lowest level since late March. The moving average is considered a more accurate barometer of employment trends because it smooths out quirks in the weekly data.
Today’s data seemingly fit with the improvement in the labor market seen in the latest monthly jobs report, issued last Friday. The U.S. added 114,000 net jobs in September and the unemployment rate fell below 8% for the first time since President Barack Obama took office. Read more on payrolls report.
