The number of those filing for unemployment benefits south of the border last week rebounded from a near 44-year low, but continued to point to a tightening labour market.
The U.S. Labor Department released figures Thursday showing initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 20,000 to a seasonally-adjusted 243,000 for the week ended March 4. Claims for the prior week were unrevised at 223,000, the lowest level since March 1973.
It was the 105th straight week that claims remained below 300,000, a threshold associated with a healthy labour market, and the longest stretch since 1970, when the labor market was much smaller.
Economists had forecast new claims for jobless benefits rising to 235,000 in the latest week.
The four-week moving average of claims, considered a better measure of U.S. labour market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, rose 2,250 to 236,500 last week.
The claims report has no bearing on February's employment report, which is scheduled for release on Friday, as it falls outside the survey period. First-time applications for jobless benefits declined in February, suggesting another month of strong employment growth.
According to economists, non-farm payrolls probably increased by 190,000 jobs last month after surging 227,000 in January. The unemployment rate is forecast falling one-10th of a percentage point to 4.7%
