The number of people filing initial applications for U.S. state unemployment benefits fell last week from a more than five-month high, the government reported Thursday, suggesting the labor market remained healthy despite slowing economic growth in the fourth quarter. The Labor Department said jobless claims fell 10,000 to 277,000 last week, the 44th consecutive week that claims were below 300,000, a mark associated with a healthy labor market. The four-week moving average of claims-a better gauge of labor-market trends because it smoothes weekly volatility-fell 1,250 to 275,750. Recent jobless-claims reports indicate that job creation should be healthy in the December report to be released by the government on Friday. Economists expect 200,000 jobs were added, following the 211,000 added in November, and the unemployment rate held steady at a more than 7-year low of 5.0 percent.
