U.S. jobless claims rise in latest week

[February 27, 2020]   (Reuters) - Initial claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected to 219,000 in the latest week from a revised 211,000 the previous week, the U.S. Labor Department said on Thursday.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims would rise to 212,000.

The four-week moving average of initial claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, rose to 209,750.

Thursday's claims report also showed the number of people receiving benefits after an initial week of aid declined to 1.724 million.

(Reporting By Dan Burns)

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