Unemployment numbers dropped last week

First-time unemployment claims total 837,000 last week, posting a lower number than economists had expected and a drop in claims from the week before.

First-time unemployment claims- totaled 837-thousand- last week.- posting a lower number than - economists had expected, and a- drop in claims from the week- before.

- marking the fifth consecutive - week that first-- time jobless claims were under - million - after staying - there for five months following- the mid-march - shutdown.

- california's numbers though, ar- not included in the latest- weekly tally.

- according to the labor- department, the state is taking- two weeks off from processing - claims as it looks to - implement fraud