Washington, DC, January 26, 2006--First-time claims unemployment benefits rose 11,000 to a seasonally adjusted 283,000 in the week ended Jan. 21, the Labor Department said Thursday.
The four-week average of new claims fell, down by 10,750 to 288,750 last week. It's the lowest level since July 2000.
The number of workers receiving unemployment benefits also rose, to 2.58 million, up by 53,000.
Economists were expecting initial claims to rise to about 305,000.
Initial claims were the highest since Jan. 7.
Claims for the week ended Jan. 14 were revised to 272,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previously reported 271,000.
The number of workers getting unemployment benefits rose by 53,000 to a seasonally adjusted 2.58 million in the week ended Jan. 14.
The four-week moving average of continuing jobless claims fell by 31,000 to 2.62 million, the lowest since Sept. 10, 2005.
