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Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 2,000
to a seasonally adjusted 279,000 for the week ended June 6, the
Labor Department said on Thursday.
Claims for the prior week were revised to show 1,000 more
applications received than previously reported.
It was the 14th straight week that claims held below the 300,000
threshold, which is usually associated with a firming labor
market.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims edging up to
277,000. A Labor Department analyst said there was nothing
unusual in the state level data.
The four-week moving average of claims, considered a better
measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week
volatility, increased 3,750 to 278,750 last week.
The government reported last week that nonfarm payrolls
increased 280,000 in May after rising 221,000 in April.
Thursday's claims report showed the number of people still
receiving benefits after an initial week of aid increased 61,000
to 2.27 million in the week ended May 30.
(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
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