BUSINESS BRIEFING / UNEMPLOYMENT
Times Wire Reports
More Americans than forecast filed claims for unemployment benefits last week, a reminder that the labor market will be slow to recover.
Initial jobless applications rose by 11,000 to 531,000 in the week ended Oct. 17, from a revised 520,000 the prior week that were the fewest in nine months, the Labor Department said. The number of people collecting benefits fell, while those receiving extended benefits increased.