Jobless Claims Fall 21,000 for Week

Initial jobless claims plunged by 21,000 for the week ended Saturday to 336,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The previous week had been a two-year high for claims, Bloomberg reported. The less-volatile four-week moving average fell 343,750 from 344,500, Labor said.
 
The level was below economists’ forecast of 345,000 claims, Bloomberg reported.

The number of people continuing to collect benefits fell by 46,000 to 2.761 million for the previous week ended Dec. 29.