Initial Jobless Claims Fall to Low Level

Washington, DC, Jan. 19, 2017 -- Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell unexpectedly last week back to near the lowest levels in decades.

Initial claims fell by 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 234,000 for the week ended Jan. 14, the Labor Department said.

Economists expected first-time applications to rise to 254,000 from 249,000.