Initial Jobless Claims Fall 6,000 for Week

Initial jobless claims fell by 6,000 last week, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Claims slipped to 439,000 for the week ended Saturday, Labor said. The figure is slightly lower than economists' estimates of a drop from the previously estimated 442,000.

The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, fell to 447,250, the lowest level since September 2008, from 453,750 the previous week.

Continuing claims for the previous week ended March 20 fell 6,000 to 4.66 million, though that figure does not include those receiving extended unemployment benefits.