U.S. Jobless Claims Fall to Pandemic Low as Economy Accelerates

Applications for U.S. state unemployment insurance unexpectedly plunged to a fresh pandemic low as the job market recovery gathers steam.

Initial claims in regular state programs decreased by 39,000 to 547,000 in the week ended April 17, Labor Department data showed Thursday. Economists in a Bloomberg survey estimated 610,000 claims. The prior week’s figure was revised up to 586,000.