Jobless Claims Rise: Labor Market Healing Slowly

By Jason Lange


WASHINGTON, Aug 23 -- The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits unexpectedly rose last week, suggesting that the labor market is healing too slowly to make much of a dent in the unemployment rate.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 372,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday. That was the highest level in five weeks.