New claims for U.S. jobless aid fell by a bigger-than-expected 17,000 last week to the lowest level since mid-July, government data showed on Thursday, but the four-week average of claims changed little. First-time claims for state unemployment insurance benefits declined to a seasonally adjusted 302,000 in the week ended September 30 from an upwardly revised 319,000 in the prior week, the Labor Department said.
See "Jobless Claims Drop to Lowest Level Since July", Reuters, The New York Times, October 4, 2006