New applications for US jobless aid fell unexpectedly last week, dropping by 13,000, government data today showed.
It was the third straight week in which initial claims for state unemployment insurance benefits fell, and the drop took claims to 317,000 from a revised 330,000 the prior week.
That was the lowest level since October 6th when they were 309,000, the Labor Department said.
Wall Street economists were expecting a slight increase in claims to 330,000 from the originally reported 327,000 claims for the week ended October 27th.
But the four-week moving average of new claims, considered a better gauge of labour market trends because it irons out weekly variations, edged up to 329,750 from 327,750. That was the highest level hit since April 21st.