Jobless claims unexpectedly fall last week

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, offering signs of a steady improvement in the labor market. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 316,000, the Labor Department said on Wednesday. A Labor Department analyst said no states had been estimated and there were no special factors influencing the report. The so-called continuing claims data covered the household survey week from which the November unemployment rate will be calculated.