The Labor Department says that applications for unemployment aid fell 7,000 to a seasonally adjusted 395,000. Applications had been above 400,000 for the previous17 weeks.
The four-week average, a less-volatile figure, fell to 405,000, its sixth straight decline. That suggests that applications are decreasing over time.
Applications fell in February to 375,000, reflecting healthy job growth. But they soared to an eight-month high of 478,000 in late April, and have declined slowly since then.
States showing the biggest declines processed thousands fewer applications. Those with the biggest gains processed a few hundred more, at most.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/8/241015