Louisiana first-time unemployment claims decrease

First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending Saturday decreased from the previous week’s total. The Louisiana Workforce Commission figures show the initial claims decreased to 4,053 from 4,169 for the week ending July 2. The figure was lower than it was for the comparable week a year earlier, when there were 4,533 initial claims. The four-week moving average, which is a less volatile measure of claims, decreased to 4,048 from the previous week’s total of 4,146. Continued unemployment claims filed for the week ending Saturday were 47,247, an increase from 47,097 from the week ending July 2. The four-week moving average for such claims increased to 47,316 from 47,236.