Americans filing for unemployment benefits increased in fewer numbers than expected last week, suggesting the labour market stateside continues to tighten even as job growth is slowing.
Figures released Thursday by the U.S. Labor Department indicated that initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 211,000 for the week ended Jan. 18.
Claims had declined for five straight weeks, resulting in the unwinding of the surge seen in early December, which was blamed on a later-than-normal Thanksgiving Day.
Claims data for the prior week was revised to show 1,000 more applications received than previously reported. Economists had forecast claims increasing to 215,000 in the latest week.
The four-week moving average of initial claims, considered a better measure of labour market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, fell 3,250 to 213,250 last week, the lowest level since September.
