The number of Americans filing new applications for jobless benefits rose modestly last week and a gauge of its trend fell, pointing to ongoing tightening in the labour market that could push the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 277,000 for the week ended Sept. 26, the U.S. Labor Department said on Thursday.
It was the 30th straight week that claims remained below the 300,000 threshold, which is usually associated with a strengthening labour market. The department said there were no special factors impacting last week's claims.
Claims for the prior week were unrevised. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims rising to 270,000 last week.
The four-week moving average of claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, dropped 1,000 to 270,750.
