US jobless claims fall to lowest since July

Initial jobless claims declined by 14,000 to 218,000 in the week ended Sept. 20.

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, with layoffs remaining low despite signs of a weaker labor market.

Initial jobless claims declined by 14,000 to 218,000 in the week ended Sept. 20, the Labor Department said on Thursday, the lowest level since mid-July.

Economists had expected claims to rise to 233,000 from the prior week’s upwardly revised 232,000.

The four-week moving average of claims, considered a more reliable measure of labor market trends, fell by 2,750 to 237,500. That compares with the previous week’s revised average of 240,250.