The number of Americans filing unemployment benefits last week increased slightly, topping market expectations, according to recent federal government statistics.
New Department of Labor data show that initial jobless claims climbed by 6,000 from the previous week to a three-week high of 225,000 for the week ending September 28.
Markets had penciled in a reading of 220,000, and initial jobless claims remain above levels registered earlier in the year.
Continuing jobless claims—a gauge for the number of unemployed individuals who qualify for unemployment insurance benefits—were little changed at 1.826 million for the week ending September 21.
The four-week jobless claims average, which strips week-to-week volatility, was also relatively flat at 224,250 for the period ending September 28….