Washington, DC, June 22, 2006--First-time applications for unemployment benefits rose by 11,000 to 308,000 in the week ending June 17, reversing a two-week decline, the Labor Department said Thursday.
The previous week's initial claims were revised to 297,000 from 295,000.
Analysts were expecting jobless claims to rise to 309,000 in the latest week.
The four-week moving average of continuing claims rose to 2.42 million, up by 6,250. The four-week average smoothes out distortions like weather and strikes and is considered a more accurate indicator. It's the highest since April 29.
