US: Weekly initial claims was 238,000, a decrease of 19,000 from the previous week

In the week ending April 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 238,000, a decrease of 19,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 257,000 said the US Department of Labor on Thursday.

Key highlights:

• The 4-week moving average was 243,000, an increase of 750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 242,250
• The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.4 percent for the week ending April 22
• The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending April 22 was 1,964,000, a decrease of 23,000 from the previous week's revised level
  • This is the lowest level for insured unemployment since April 15, 2000, when it was 1,962,000