US jobless claims drop by 9000

First-time unemployment claims dropped by 9,000 to 336,000 in the week that ended Saturday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Thursday. The four-week rolling average of first-time claims fell by 9,250 to 348,250, as figures settle down after a jump of 66,000 in one week during the 16-day partial U.S. government shutdown. The previous week's claims total was revised from 340,000 to 345,000. The largest increases in initial claims for the week that ended Oct. 26 were in Oregon, where claims rose by 2,956, Florida, up 2,873 and Illinois up 2,460. The largest decreases were in California, where claims dropped by 4,460, Virginia, by 1,807 and Washington by 833.