By Greg Robb
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - First-time claims for state unemployment benefits fell unexpectedly in the latest week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The number of initial claims in the week ending Dec. 11 fell 3,000 to 420,000. The consensus forecast of Wall Street economists was for claims to inch higher. The four-week average fell 5,250 to 422,750.Claims in the previous week were revised to a decrease of 15,000 to 423,000 compared with the initial estimate of a decline of 17,000 to 421,000. Meanwhile, the number of Americans receiving state jobless benefits held steady rose 22,000 to 4.14 million in the week ending Dec. 4. The four-week moving average of continuing claims fell 47,250 to 4.19 million.
