New claims for unemployment benefits fell to 3.84 million in the week ended April 25, data from the Department of Labor showed Thursday.
That brings new unemployment claims, a proxy for layoffs, over the past six weeks to around 30 million. Continuing claims, those filed after the initial week of benefits, rose to just under 18 million.
Economists had expected around 3.5 million new claims.
Claims hit a record 6.87 million for the week of March 28. Each subsequent week has seen claims decline. Last week’s initially reported figure was revised up by 15,000 to 4.4 million.