Fewer Americans than forecast filed first-time claims for unemployment insurance payments last week, extending the period of volatility typically seen in July.

Applications for jobless benefits decreased by 35,000 in the week ended July 21 to 353,000, Labor Department figures showed yesterday. Economists forecast 380,000 claims, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey.

Changes in the annual auto plant shutdowns that occur this time of year have made it difficult to adjust the data for seasonal variations, the Labor Dept. has said.