Initial claims for state unemployment insurance benefits rose 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 576,000 in the week ended August 15 from 561,000 the prior week, the Labour Department said.
While economic data continue to point to a pending upturn from the recession that started in December 2007, doubts over the sustainability of the recovery are causing companies to be cautious. The number of people collecting long-term unemployment benefits edged up 2,000 to 6.24 million in the week ended August 8, the latest week for which the data is available. However, the four-week moving average declined 2,500 to 6.27 million.
The insured unemployment rate, which measures the percentage of the insured labor force who are jobless, was unchanged at 4.7 per cent.
Published 20 August 2009, 16:00 IST