New figures released Thursday by the Labor Department showed that applications for unemployment benefits in the United States increased slightly more than economists had anticipated during the week ended May 23.
According to the report, initial jobless claims rose to 215,000, up 5,000 from the revised total of 210,000 recorded in the previous week.
Economists had forecast claims would increase to 213,000 from the prior week’s originally reported level of 209,000.
The report also showed the less volatile four-week moving average climbed to 209,000, an increase of 6,250 from the revised average of 202,750 in the previous week.