US initial jobless claims fell by 12,000 in the week ended July 8 to a total of 237,000, the US Department of Labor reported today. The previous week’s level was revised upward by 1,000.

Initial claims had risen by 13,000 the previous week after falling by 29,000 in the week prior to that.

The labor marked continue to defy the Federal Reserve’s attempt to cool it, The Associated Press reported.

Meanwhile, the four-week moving average of initial claims fell by 6,750 to a level of 246,750. The previous week’s average was revised upward by 250.