Jobless Claims Edge Down Last Week

Washington, DC, Sept. 20, 2012 -- Initial jobless claims edged lower last week, according to the Labor Department.

Initial claims dropped by 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 382,000 in the week ended Sept. 15.

Claims from two weeks ago, partly inflated by the effects of Hurricane Isaac, were revised up to 385,000 from an original reading of 382,000.

The average of new claims over the past month rose by 2,000 to 377,750.