The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the first time increased unexpectedly last week, signaling a modest softening in the labor market.
According to data released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor, initial jobless claims rose by 13,000 to 225,000 in the week ended May 30, compared with a revised reading of 212,000 in the previous week.
The result exceeded economists’ expectations, which had called for claims to ease to 212,000. The prior week’s figure had originally been reported at 215,000 before being revised lower.
The latest increase pushed first-time unemployment claims to their highest level since the week ended February 7, when claims reached 230,000.
While weekly claims remain relatively low by historical standards, the unexpected rise may attract attention from investors and policymakers looking for signs of any cooling in U.S. labor market conditions.