Jobless Claims Inch Higher

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits edged up slightly last week to the highest level since July, the Labor Department said. Claims for first-time jobless benefits rose to 351,000 in the week ended Dec. 14, up 1,000 from the previous week. Wall Street economists had forecast initial jobless claims of 331,000. The claims were the highest since the week ended July 13, when they reached 367,000, the department said. The four-week moving average, considered to be a more accurate gauge of employment trends than the weekly figure, also inched higher in the week ended Dec. 14. It stood at 342,500, up from 342,250.