Initial jobless claims fell last week to the lowest level in a month, the Labor Department said Thursday.
Claims fell 27,000 for the week ended Saturday to 365,000.
Economists had forecast a drop to 379,000, from 388,000 originally reported the previous week, Bloomberg reported.
The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, rose to 383,500, from 382,750.
Continuing jobless claims for the previous week ended April 21 rose to 3.28 million, from 3.33 million.