Weekly Initial Jobless Claims Decrease by 21,000

New U.S. claims for unemployment insurance declined more than expected last week, government data showed on Thursday. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 21,000 to a seasonally adjusted 454,000 in the week ended July 3, the lowest level since early May, the Labor Department said. The four-week moving average was 466,000, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week’s revised average of 467,250.