The US four-week moving average of initial claims for unemployment insurance last week fell by 1,250 to a total of 298,500 from the previous week’s upwardly revised figure of 299,750, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The four-week moving average decreases the volatility of the weekly numbers. Total initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ended Sept. 20 rose by 12,000 to a total of 293,000 from the previous week’s upwardly revised figure of 281,000.

Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had expected new claims to rise to a seasonally adjusted 300,000.

No special factors impacted this week’s initial claims, according to the Department of Labor.