The number of U.S. initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ended April 24 fell by 11,000, or 2.4%, to 448,000 from the previous week's revised figure, the U.S. Department of Labor reported today.

Last week's number was revised up to 459,000 from 456,000.

The four-week moving average of claims for the week ended April 24 rose by 1,500, or 0.3%, to 462,500 from the previous week's revised average of 461,000.