U.S. unemployment benefit applications down last week

New claims for unemployment benefits in the United States fell more than expected last week, but a measure on the underlying labor market trends rose to a nine months, data showed on Thursday the government.
Initial claims for unemployment benefits fell by 31,000 to a seasonally adjusted rate of 473,000 in the week ended Aug. 21, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment applications down 

Analysts polled by Reuters had expected claims to fall to 490,000 from an initially reported figure of 500,000 the previous week, a figure that was revised up to show 504 000 in the report on Thursdayand the unemployment benefits fell.The four-week moving average of new initial claims, considered a better gauge of underlying labor market trends, rose 3250-486750, the highest since last November.