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Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 10,000 to a
seasonally adjusted 277,000 for the week ended Sept. 26, the
Labor Department said on Thursday.
It was the 30th straight week that claims remained below the
300,000 threshold, which is usually associated with a
strengthening labor market. The Labor Department said there were
no special factors impacting last week's claims.
Claims for the prior week were unrevised. Economists polled by
Reuters had forecast claims rising to 270,000 last week.
The four-week moving average of claims, considered a better
measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week
volatility, dropped 1,000 to 270,750.
The labor market has remained on solid footing, despite a recent
global stock market sell-off, which has boosted expectations the
Fed could hike rates this year or in early 2016.
The economy is forecast to have added 203,000 jobs in September,
a pace that if held could push the jobless rate lower in the
coming months.
Thursday's claims report showed the number of people still
receiving benefits after an initial week of aid fell 53,000 to
2.19 million in the week ended Sept. 19.
(Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
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