US Weekly Jobless Claims Post Largest Rise in 5 Months; Labor Market Still Tight

US Weekly Jobless Claims Post Largest Rise in 5 Months; Labor Market Still Tight
People line up outside Kentucky Career Center prior to its opening to find assistance with their unemployment claims in Frankfort, Ky., on June 18, 2020. Bryan Woolston/Reuters
Reuters
Updated:
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WASHINGTON—The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits increased by the most in five months last week, but the underlying trend remained consistent with a tight labor market.

Part of the larger-than-expected rise in claims reported by the Labor Department on Thursday reflected a surge in applications in New York state, which some economists attributed to a mid-winter school recess from Feb. 20–24. There was also a sharp rise in filings in California.