An unanticipated seven-week low in unemployment benefit claims from laid-off workers reflects improvement in the job market, the Associated Press reported.

Unemployment benefit applications totaled 311,000 last week, down 9,000 from the week before, marking the lowest number of initial unemployment claims since July 28, reported the Labor Department on Thursday.

Economists had predicted an increase of approximately 6,000, making the decrease a surprise.

Thursday also marked an improvement in the four-week average of claims also improved, coming in at 320,750 compared with 324,250 the previous week.

The labor market is being watched carefully; analysts believe the risks of a recession are growing.

With a report earlier this month showing that businesses cut 4,000 jobs from payrolls, including severe declines in manufacturing and construction, the Federal Reserve cut a key interest rate by a half percentage point on Tuesday. This was the first cut in the federal fund rate in more than four years and was issued to help prevent a continued decline in the economy.