New applications for U.S. unemployment benefits declined more than forecast in the week ended February 14, fresh data from the Labor Department showed on Thursday.
Initial claims fell to 206,000, down 23,000 from the prior week’s revised total of 229,000.
Economists had projected a more modest decrease to 225,000, compared with the originally reported 227,000 for the previous week.
Meanwhile, the four-week moving average — which smooths out weekly volatility — slipped to 219,000, a decline of 1,000 from the revised 220,000 level in the preceding week.