Jobless Claims Decrease for Week

Initial jobless claims declined by 4,000 last week, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Claims fell to 444,000 for the week ended Saturday, the lowest in six weeks, Labor said. The level was slightly higher than economists' forecasts of 440,000 claims, Bloomberg said.

The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, dropped to 450,500, from 459,500 the previous week.

Continuing claims for the previous week ended May 1 fell grew 12,000 to 4.63 million, though that figure does not include those receiving extended unemployment benefits. Those claims were forecast to fall to 4.59 million.