The US four-week moving average of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose to 259,750 last week, up 1,750 from the previous week’s average, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the US Department of Labor. The previous week’s average was revised upward by 250.

The four-week moving average decreases the volatility of the weekly numbers. Total initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ended Nov. 5 were 254,000, down 11,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level.

This marks 88 consecutive weeks of initial claims below 300,000, the longest streak since 1970.

No special factors affected this week’s initial claims.

Bloomberg reports filings for US unemployment benefits declined from an almost three-month high ahead of the presidential election, indicating the job market remains competitive for employers. Initial claims fell more than the median forecast in its survey of economists, which called for initial claims to decline to 260,000. Bloomberg said steady progress in the US in the labor market has kept layoffs near a four-decade low, as managers resist firings in face of a shrinking pool of qualified applicants.