Unemployment claims fall to coronavirus pandemic low of 576,000

The number of Americans filing first-time jobless claims last week fell to the lowest level since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Labor Department.

Data released Thursday showed 576,000 Americans filed for first-time unemployment benefits in the week ended April 10, down from an upwardly revised 769,000 the week prior. Analysts surveyed by Refinitiv were expecting 700,000 filings.

Continuing claims for the week ended April 3, meanwhile, ticked up to 3.731 million from 3.727 million the prior week. That number was above the 3.7 million that was expected.