WASHINGTON, Nov 18 (Reuters) – New U.S. claims for
unemployment benefits rose slightly last week as expected, a
government report showed on Thursday, but the underlying trend
remained tilted toward a gradual improvement in the labor
market.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits climbed
2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 439,000, the Labor Department
said.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims rising to
440,000 from the previously reported 435,000. The government
revised the prior week’s figure up to 437,000.
The data covered the survey week for the government’s
employment report for November, but weekly claims have been too
volatile to provide a good prediction of nonfarm payrolls.
A Labor Department official said there was nothing unusual
in the state-level data.
The four-week average of new jobless claims, considered a
better measure of underlying labor market trends, dropped 4,000
to 443,000, the lowest level since the week ending Sept. 6,
2008.
The number of people still receiving benefits after an
initial week of aid fell 48,000 to 4.30 million in the week
ended Nov. 6, in line with expectations and the lowest since
November 2008. The prior week’s figure was revised up to 4.34
million.
The number of people on emergency unemployment benefits
rose 66,767 to 3.97 million in the week ended Oct. 30. A total
of 8.85 million people were claiming unemployment benefits
during that period under all programs.
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