New claims for US unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week reaching levels not seen since August 2008. Initial claims fell to 429,000 in the week ending 10 July down 29,000 from the previous week's revised level, according to official figures. It is the second strong decline in a row in the number of people claiming unemployment benefits. The data was far better than market expectations. Most analysts had expected the number of Americans claiming jobless benefits to hit around 450,000. Officials said the drop was due, in part, to a fall in temporary layoffs.