According to the Labor Department, claims for unemployment benefits fell last week by 9,000. The four-week average also fell by 1,500. Economists say that future claims could be impacted by Hurricane Sandy, but little effect is seen in last week's data. The Labor Department also said that productivity increased by 1.9% in the third quarter, which many see as a sign that workers are reaching the limit of what they can do.
See "Claims for U.S. Jobless Benefits Drop", Reuters, The New York Times, October 31, 2012