Claims for Jobless Benefits Fall, Suggesting a Trend WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans signing up for unemployment benefits fell unexpectedly last week, the latest sign of recovery in the nation's labor market. Initial claims for state jobless benefits dropped 15,000, to 358,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday. A four-week average of new filings, which provides a better view of the trend, hit its lowest level since April 2008. The decline in first-time claims, which defied economists" forecasts for a rise to 370,000, pointed to building strength in the labor market and improved the chances of another increase in employment this month. "We are getting better employment growth and are seeing some signs that we are getting some self-sustaining aspects of economic activity," said Michael Strauss, chief economist at Commonfund in Wilton, Conn. Other data on Thursday showed a jump in wholesale inventories in December, suggesting the government's fourth-quarter growth estimate could be revised higher. But much will depend on the December trade data on Friday and a broader report on overall business inventories next week. The recent string of upbeat data has raised doubts about whether the Federal Reserve will carry out a third round of bond buying to spur the recovery. "It does reduce the risk of additional monetary accommodation, but I don't think it changes in any way the dial at the Fed for keeping rates accommodative, at least at these levels, for the foreseeable future," said Millan Mulraine, senior macro strategist at TD Securities in New York. Fed officials have said they expect to keep interest rates low at least through late 2014. Despite the brighter economic signs, about 23.8 million Americans are either out of work or underemployed, and there are no job openings for nearly three out of every four who are unemployed. The number of people still receiving jobless benefits under regular state programs after an initial week of aid rose in the week ended Jan. 28. A total of 7.66 million people were claiming unemployment benefits in the week ended Jan. 21.