US initial jobless claims fall by 2,000

ISTANBUL

The number of Americans filing first-time unemployment claims fell 2,000 last week to 231,000, according to Labor Department data released Thursday.

The figure came in slightly lower than market estimates of 232,000, while the previous week's reading was revised up by 1,000 from 232,000 to 233,000.

The four-week moving average was 231,500 – a decrease of 4,750 from the previous week's revised average.

The US economy added 114,000 jobs in July, while the unemployment rate rose to 4.3% from 4.1% in June.