The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell slightly more than expected last week, pointing to a sustained improvement in labor market conditions.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits declined 14,000 to a seasonally adjusted 298,000 for the week ended Aug. 16, the U.S. Labor Department said on Thursday.
Claims last week were revised to show 1,000 more applications received than previously reported.
Economists had forecast claims slipping to 300,000 last week. A department analyst said there were no special factors influencing the state level data.
The four-week average of claims, considered a better measure of labour market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, rose 4,750 to 300,750. But at that level, it's consistent with solid job growth and claims are back at their pre-recession levels.
U.S. Treasury debt prices were little changed on the data, while the U.S. dollar slipped slightly against other major currencies.
The claims report covered the period during which the government surveyed employers for August's non-farm payrolls data. The four-week average of claims fell 8,500 between the July and August survey periods, suggesting another month of relatively strong job gains.
Non-farm payrolls increased by 209,000 in July, marking the sixth consecutive month that job growth topped 200,000, a sign of strength last seen in 1997. The firming jobs picture appears to have caught policymakers by surprise.
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