Initial Jobless Claims Fall For Third Week, Labor Reports

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he number of U.S. workers filing for initial unemployment benefits fell 36,000 in the week ended April 16, the third consecutive reported delcine, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The 296,000 claims total was a 10-week low, though it was distorted by difficulties in adjusting for seasonal factors such as an early Easter this year, Labor said.

The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, rose slightly to 330,250, a figure suggesting companies are reluctant to trim payrolls, Bloomberg reported.

The number of people filing continuing jobless claims fell to 2.638 million in the week ended April 9, from 2.655 million the previous week.

The four-week average for continuing claims rose to 2.644 million from 2.653 million, Labor said.