Initial Jobless Claims Fall by 20,000 For Week

June 23, 2005 10:30 AM, EDT

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he number of U.S. workers filing for initial unemployment benefits fell by 20,000 to 314,000 for the week ended June 18, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The drop left unemployment claims at the lowest level in two months, Labor said. Analysts had forecast claims to be between 320,000 and 340,000, Bloomberg reported.

The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, fell to 333,000 from 335,500.

The number of people filing continuing jobless claims fell to 2.6 million the week ended June 11, from 2.638 million the previous week, Labor said.

The four-week moving average of continuing claims rose to 2.603 million, from 2.596 million.

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