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Initial claims for state unemployment benefits
increased 21,000 to a seasonally adjusted 313,000 for the week
ended Nov. 22, the Labor Department said on Wednesday. It was
the first-time since early September that claims broke above the
300,000 threshold.
The four-week moving average of claims, considered a better
measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week
volatility, remained below 300,000 for an 11th straight week, a
sign that the jobs market was improving.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims falling to
288,000 last week. A Labor Department analyst said there were no
special factors influencing last week's claims data.
The claims report showed the number of people still receiving
benefits after an initial week of aid fell 17,000 to 2.32
million in the week ended Nov. 15, the lowest since December
2000.
The so-called continuing claims covered the household survey
week from which the unemployment rate for November will be
calculated. Continuing claims fell 71,000 between the October
and November survey period, suggesting the unemployment rate
could fall from a six-year low of 5.8 percent.
(Reporting By Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
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