Initial unemployment claims -5k to 240k in..>

US DATA: Initial unemployment claims -5k to 240k in July 29 week, 

exactly as expected. The 4-wk moving avg -2,500 to 241,750 and the 

average would fall by an additional 2,000 claims next week if the 

headline number is unch as the 248k level in the July 8 week rolls off. 

Seasonal adjustment factors had expected an 18,136 decrease in 

unadjusted claims in the current week. Instead, unadjusted claims fell 

by 22,549 to 198,028. There were no state claims estimated this week. 

Continuing claims +3k to 1.968m in the July 22 week. The 4-wk moving 

average for continuing claims +750 to 1.965 million. The claims data 

remain below their year ago levels by all measures. See MNI main wire.