Initial Jobless Claims Fall by 13,000 for Week

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he number of U.S. workers filing initial unemployment benefits fell by 13,000 to 318,000 last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The increase led to a jobless level that was lower than the 325,000 predicted by economists, Bloomberg reported.

The number of people out of work from the three big hurricanes fell to 1,400 from 2,500 the previous week, Labor said.

The four-week moving average of claims, a less volatile measure, fell to 324,500 from 329,250 a week earlier, Labor said.