The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, but the trend continued to point to a strengthening labour market.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 5,000 to a seasonally-adjusted 274,000 for the week ended Aug. 8, the U.S. Labor Department said on Thursday. Claims for the prior week were revised to show 1,000 fewer applications received than previously reported.
Though claims have risen for three straight weeks, they have remained below the 300,000-job threshold, which is associated with a firming jobs markets, for 23 consecutive weeks.
Economists had forecast claims to be unchanged at 270,000 last week. A department analyst said there were no special factors influencing the data and no states had been estimated.
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