First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits edged slightly higher in the week ended December 3rd, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The report said initial jobless claims crept up to 230,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week’s revised level of 226,000. <\/p>\n
Economists had expected jobless claims to inch up to 230,000 from the 225,000 originally reported for the previous week.<\/p>\n
The Labor Department said the less volatile four-week moving average also ticked up to 230,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week’s revised average of 229,000.<\/p>\n
Continuing claims, a reading on the number of people receiving ongoing unemployment assistance, also climbed by 62,000 to 1.671 million in the week ended November 26th.<\/p>\n
The four-week moving average of continuing claims also rose to 1,582,250, an increase of 43,250 from the previous week’s revised average of 1,539,000.<\/p>\n
Last Friday, a separate report released by the Labor Department showed employment in the U.S. increased by more than expected in the month of November.<\/p>\n
The report said non-farm payroll employment jumped by 263,000 jobs in November after surging by an upwardly revised 284,000 jobs in October.<\/p>\n
Economists had expected employment to shoot up by 200,000 jobs compared to the addition of 261,000 jobs originally reported for the previous month.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Labor Department said the unemployment rate held at 3.7 percent in November, unchanged from October and in line with economist estimates. <\/p>\n