U.S. jobless claims fall by 12,000 to 377,000 (by Jeffry Bartash)

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The number of Americans who filed requests for jobless benefits fell by 12,000 last week to 377,000, the U.S. Labor Department said Thursday. Claims from two weeks ago were revised up to 389,000 from 383,000. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had projected claims would fall to a seasonally adjusted 380,000 in the week ended June 2. The average of new claims over the past four weeks, meanwhile, edged up by 1,750 to 377,750, the highest level in a month. Continuing claims increased by 34,000 to a seasonally adjusted 3.29 million in the week ended May 26, the Labor Department said. Continuing claims are reported with a one-week lag. About 5.97 million people received some kind of state or federal benefit in the week ended May 19, down 167,133 from the prior week. Total claims are reported with a two-week lag.