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Washington - New US claims for unemployment
benefits fell less than expected last week, according to a government report on
Thursday that could dampen hopes of a pick-up in job creation in April after
March’s slowdown.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits slipped 2 000 to a
seasonally adjusted 386 000, the labour department said. The prior week’s figure
was revised up to 388 000 from the previously reported 380 000.
The four-week moving average for new claims, considered a better
measure of labor market trends, rose 5 500 to 374 750.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims falling to 370 000
last week.
The claims data covered the week for April’s nonfarm payrolls
survey. The four-week average of new applications rose marginally between the
March and April survey periods, suggesting not much change in labour market
conditions.
Employers added 120 000 new jobs to their payrolls in March, the
least since October, after averaging 246 000 jobs per month over the prior three
months.
Most economists have viewed the pull-back in job growth as payback after the weather-induced gains in the previous months.
Most economists have viewed the pull-back in job growth as payback after the weather-induced gains in the previous months.
A labour dDepartment official said there was nothing unusual in the
state-level data.
The number of people still receiving benefits under regular state
programmes after an initial week of aid rose 26 000 to 3.30 million in the week
ended April 7.
The number of Americans on emergency unemployment benefits fell
19 419 to 2.78 million in the week ended March 31, the latest week for which
data is available.
A total of 6.77 million people were claiming unemployment benefits
during that period under all programmes, down 187 807 from the prior week.
