Jobless Claims Fall More More Than Expected

Washington, DC, April 26, 2007--Initial filings for state unemployment insurance slipped to 20,000 to 321,000 in the week ended April 21 from an upwardly revised 341,000 for the previous week, according to the Labor Department.  

The department said there were no special factors behind the drop.

Analysts had forecast a drop of 9,000 to 330,000.

A four-week moving average of rose to 332,000 from a revised 329,250 a week earlier. It was the highest level for the four-week moving average since the week ending March 3.

The total number of unemployed people still on the benefit rolls after drawing an initial week of aid rose unexpectedly to 2.59 million from 2.53 million in the previous week. Analysts were expecting continuing claims to hold steady.