Jobless Claims Decline

ByJohn S. McClenahen Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell to 334,000 last week, some 3,000 fewer than the previous week's revised figure of 337,000, the U.S. Labor Department reported on Nov. 18. The mark was roughly in line with economists' expectations. The department's four-week moving average for initial claims, generally considered to be a better indicator of underlying labor market conditions because it smooths out week-to-week changes, posted a bit of an increase to 338,250, some 1,000 claims higher than the previous weeks revised average of 337,250.