US jobless claims rise
WASHINGTON: New claims for unemployment benefits in the United States rose slightly last week, remaining at levels that indicate weakness in the job market.
Initial jobless claims stood at 427,000 for the week ending June 4, above economists' forecasts.
Claims had been 1,000 lower the week before.
Government workers continued to need support as public-sector jobs were cut; some 2,142 public workers applied for benefits.
Claims have remained above the 400,000 threshold since early April as a fragile economic recovery fanned employers' fears to hire.
The high number of jobless claims reinforces recent poor data, which showed the unemployment rate rising to 9.1 percent.
"The rise in claims was unexpected," said Michael Gapen of Barclays Capital.
"Today's claims report is a further indication of a loss in momentum in labor markets."
Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011
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