Initial Jobless Claims Down 7,000 Last Week

Washington, DC, May 6, 2010--Initial jobless claims fell by 7,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 444,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The four-week average of new claims fell by 4,750 to 458,500. The number of people receiving state benefits fell by 59,000 to a seasonally adjusted 4.59 million in the week ending April 24.