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Initial jobless claims fell by 24,000 last week, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Claims for the week ended Saturday declined to 601,000, from a revised 625,000 the previous week.

The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, fell to 621,750 from 632,250 a week earlier.

The number of Americans collecting jobless benefits rose to its 19th straight weekly record high for the previous week ended May 30, Labor said.