WASHINGTON, Nov 6 (AFP) – The number of Americans lodging new
claims for jobless benefits plummeted unexpectedly last week to a
near three-year low, the government said Thursday.
New claimant numbers plunged 43,000 to 348,000 in the week
ending November 1, the lowest level since the week George W. Bush
was inaugurated president on January 20, 2001, the seasonally
adjusted data showed.
A four-week average of new claims dropped 10,000 to 380,000, the
lowest since March 10, 2001.