Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 417,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday. The level suggests the job market is still having trouble gaining momentum, but it falls well short of a recession signal.
Striking Verizon [VZ 35.91 -0.56 (-1.54%) ] workers filed 8,500 claims for jobless benefits last week, after submitting 12,500 applications the previous week, which covered the period for the August nonfarm payrolls survey. more