First-time unemployment insurance deposits rose above last week as a sign of ongoing struggles for the labor market.
The new claims totaled 861,000, the highest level in a month and above the Dow Jones estimate of 773,000, the Labor Department reported on Thursday.
Markets have moved a bit on the news, with stocks ready to open on Wall Street.
The total for the week ended February 13 marked only a slight increase, however, compared to 848,000 a week ago. This number has been revised from 793,000 initially reported.
Continued claims fell again to just under 4.5 million, a drop of 64,000. This data is broadcast one week behind the full title of the claims for the first time.
The total number of recipients of benefits fell by 1.3 million to 18.34 million, mainly due to a decrease in claims on the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We’re still at the mercy of the virus, so it’s still a forked economy,” said Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab.
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