New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased by 11,000 to 219,000 in the seven days that ended Feb. 1, the government said. Anything below 250,000 is considered an exceptionally good reading.

But the rise in recurring claims suggests more unemployed people are having a tougher time finding a new job. Weekly numbers tend to be volatile, however, particularly at this time of the year.

Initial jobless claims for week ended March 15: +2K to 223K vs. 224K consensus and 221K prior (revised from 220K), according to data released by the U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday. The four ...

The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims were up by 2,000 to 205,000 the week that ended Dec. 16. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week ups and downs ...

Initial jobless claims for the week ended Nov. 2 rose by 3K to 221K, slightly trailing the 223K consensus, from 218K in the prior week (revised from 216K), the Department of Labor said Thursday.

Weekly jobless claims increase 21,000 to 211,000; Four-week average of claims rises 4,000 to 197,000; Continuing claims jump 69,000 to 1.718 million ...

U.S. Weekly Jobless Claims Rise Slightly More Than Expected ... The report said initial jobless claims rose to 238,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's revised level of 234,000.

Weekly jobless claims in the U.S. increased more than expected in May to a seasonally adjusted 240,000 for the week ended May 24, according to the Labor Department.

The Labor Department’s report highlights a nuanced picture of the labor market. While the initial rise in unemployment claims was modest, the number of people continuing to claim benefits ...

U.S. workers’ filings for unemployment benefits edged up last week, reaching their highest level so far this year. Initial jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased to a seasonally adjusted ...