Claims have now been below 300,000 for 130 straight weeks, the longest such stretch since 1970.
The 4-week moving average was 236,750, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 237,750 to 238,000.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.4 percent for the week ending August 19, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate.
The continuing claimsdrawn by workers for more than a week (the advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment) during the week ending August 19 was 1,942,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 1,954,000. The 4-week moving average was 1,951,500, a decrease of 6,250 from the previous week's unrevised average of 1,957,750.