August 24, 2006 8:30 AM, EDT

Initial Jobless Claims Fall 1,000 for Week

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irst-time U.S. jobless claims fell by 1,000 to 313,000 last week, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Economists had predicted that the level would rise to 315,000 from last week’s 312,000, Bloomberg reported.

The less-volatile four-week moving average rose to 315,250 from 311,750.

ontinuing jobless claims for the week ended August 12 fell to 2.492 million from 2.501 million a week earlier.