The number of US workers claiming unemployment benefits for the first time unexpectedly declined last week, but the total number of people claiming benefits reached a 26-year high, according to government data released on Thursday.

Initial jobless claims fell by 24,000 in the week ending January 3 to 467,000. It was the second consecutive week that initial claims fell. Continuing claims, however, grew to 4.611m, the highest total since 1982.