The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, but remained at levels consistent with a strengthening labour market.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 7,000 to a seasonally adjusted 282,000 for the week ended May 23, the U.S. Labor Department said on Thursday.
Claims for the prior week were revised to show 1,000 more applications received than previously reported.
Despite last week's increase, claims stayed below 300,000, a threshold associated with a firming jobs market, for 12 straight weeks, an unusually long stretch given a weak economic backdrop.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims slipping to 270,000 last week. A department analyst said there was nothing unusual in the state-level data.
The four-week moving average of claims, considered a better measure of labour market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, increased 5,000 last week to 271,500.
