US weekly jobless claims fall, still at very high levels

WASHINGTON, Dec 03 (Reuters): The number of Americans filing first-time claims for jobless benefits fell last week, but remained extraordinarily high amid widespread business restrictions to slow a rising tide of new COVID-19 infections and lack of additional fiscal stimulus.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits totaled a seasonally adjusted 712,000 for the week ended Nov. 28, compared with 787,000 in the prior week, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 775,000 applications in the latest week.