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Initial jobless claims fell by 6,000 last week to 445,000, but total unemployment benefits rolls rose to the highest level in five years, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Economists had forecast a decline to 440,000, Bloomberg reported.

The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, rose to 440,000 from 439,750.

The number of continuing claims rose 122,000 to 3.525 million for the previous week ended Aug. 30, the highest level since October 2003, Labor said.