Reuters reported that analyst had anticipated claims would fall only to 450,000.

The four-week moving average of claims for the week ended July 10 fell to 455,250, down 11,750 from the previous week's revised average of 467,000.

Jobless claims for the week ended July 3 were revised up to 458,000, an increase of 4,000 from last week's initially reported number. Initial unemployment for the week ended July 3 were still down 17,000 from the prior week.

Florida posted the largest decline in jobless claims in the week ended July 3, down 3,586, amid fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service and manufacturing industries as well as agriculture, according to new data from the Department of Labor.