The number of U.S. initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ended May 8 fell by 4,000, or 0.9%, to 444,000 from the previous week's revised figure, the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.

Last week's number was revised up to 448,000 from the previously reported number of 444,000.

The four-week moving average of claims for the week ended May 8 fell by 9,000, or almost 2.0%, to 450,500 from the previous week's revised average of 459,500.