The number of U.S. initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ended April 17 fell by 24,000, or 5.0%, to 456,000 from the previous week's revised figure, the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.

Last week's number was revised down to 480,000 from 484,000.

The four-week moving average of claims for the week ended April 17 rose by 2,750, or 0.6%, to 460,250 from the previous week's revised average of 457,500.