In the week ending August 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 235,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 224,000. The 4-week moving average was 226,250, an increase of 4,500 from the previous week's unrevised average of 221,750. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.3 percent for the week ending August 9, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending August 9 was 1,972,000, an increase of 30,000 from the previous week's revised level. This ... (full story)

The number of Americans filing new applications for jobless benefits rose by the most in about three months last week in an initial signal that layoffs may be picking up and adding to signs the labor market is weakening. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits climbed 11,000 - the largest increase since late May - to a seasonally adjusted 235,000 for the week ended August 16, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 225,000 claims for the latest week. The labor market had split into low firings and tepid hiring as businesses navigate President Donald Trump's ... (full story)