Initial jobless claims fall 3000 to 420000

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: MarketWatch

Economic Report

Dec. 16, 2010, 9:10 a.m. EST

Initial jobless claims fall 3,000 to 420,000
Four-week average lowest in more than two years, U.S. data show

By Greg Robb, MarketWatch
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The number of people filing for state unemployment benefits for the first time fell to its second lowest level this year, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Against a backdrop of what’s been stubbornly high joblessness, initial claims dropped 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 420,000 last week, marking the third decline in the past four weeks.

Read more: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/jobless-claims-fall-3000-to-420000-2010-12-16-842550

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And, from the source:

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report {12/16/2010}

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending Dec. 11, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 420,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 423,000. The 4-week moving average was 422,750, a decrease of 5,250 from the previous week's revised average of 428,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.3 percent for the week ending Dec. 4, unchanged from the prior week's revised rate of 3.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Dec. 4 was 4,135,000, an increase of 22,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,113,000. The 4-week moving average was 4,185,500, a decrease of 47,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 4,232,750.