WASHINGTON—The number of Americans filing first-time applications for unemployment benefits surged last week, confirming a weakening in labor market conditions as a worsening COVID-19 pandemic disrupts operations at restaurants and other businesses.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits totaled a seasonally adjusted 965,000 for the week ended Jan. 9, compared to 784,000 in the prior week, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 795,000 applications in the latest week.
