Jobless claims pulled back slightly for the week ending Jan. 11, and fell by 2,000 filings to 328,0000, the U.S. Department of Labor said.
Meanwhile, the four-week moving average hit 335,000, a drop of 13,500 filings from the previous week’s revised average of 348,500.
"This is the first report in two months that's not heavily skewed by special factors or shortened holiday weeks, and the results point to steady conditions in the labor market," analysts with Econoday said.
Previous reports were flooded with extra variables, including seasonal job hiring and holidays.
