Report: U.S. jobless claims fell last week to lowest level since July

Washington, D.C. A report released Wednesday by the Labor Department said that applications for jobless benefits declined by 24,000 to 435,000 in the week ended Nov. 6, the lowest level in four months.

The total number of people collecting unemployment insurance fell to the lowest level since November 2008, and those receiving extended payments also declined.

The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure than the weekly figures, dropped to 446,500 last week, the lowest since September 13, 2008, from 456,500, the report showed.

The number of people continuing to receive jobless benefits dropped by 86,000 in the week ended Oct. 30 to 4.3 million, in line with Bloomberg’s median projection. The continuing claims figure does not include the number of Americans receiving extended benefits under federal programs.