US Jobless Claims (4 Week Average) Fall To Lowest Level In 38 Weeks

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless insurance unexpectedly fell last week to the lowest level since January, according to a government report on Thursday that hinted at stabilization in the labor market.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 514,000 in the week ended October 10, the Labor Department said. New jobless claims have declined for five of the last six weeks. The four-week moving average for new claims dipped 9,000 to 531,500 last week, declining for a sixth straight week (see top chart above).

MP: From the early April peak of 658,750, jobless claims (four-week average) have fallen by 127,250 to 531,500 (-18%), and that measure of jobless claims has fallen in 21 out of the last 27 weeks, including the last six months in a row. Jobless claims are now at the lowest level since January 17, 38 weeks ago. The bottom chart above shows that the 19% decline in jobless claims since the peak in April is consistent with the similar drops that marked the end of the 1990-91 recession (-15%) and the 2001 recession (-19%).

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