Initial Jobless Claims Decline Again

Washington, DC, Dec. 16, 2010 -- Initial jobless claims fell unexpectedly last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The number of initial claims in the week ending Dec. 11 fell 3,000 to 420,000. The consensus forecast of Wall Street economists was for claims to inch higher.

The four-week average fell 5,250 to 422,750. Claims in the previous week were revised to a decrease of 15,000 to 423,000 compared with the initial estimate of a decline of 17,000 to 421,000.