First-time jobless benefit claims fell by 23,000 in the week ended Saturday with 381,000 claims filed, the U.S. Labor Department said.
It was eighth weekly decline in the past nine weeks. The four-week rolling average for first-time claims filed as of Saturday was 393,250, down 3,000 from the previous revised average, the department said.
The Labor Department said November's unemployment rate was 8.6 percent, down from 9 percent in October.
For the week ending Nov. 26, Wisconsin posted the largest increase in first-time claims with 8,172 additional claims filed. California posted the largest decrease in first-time claims with 27,440 fewer claims filed.
Source: UPI