The number of people applying for first-time unemployment benefits rose last week by 17,000, reversing four consecutive weeks of declines, but the data is consistent with a job market that continues to grow modestly, the U.S. government reported Thursday. The Labor Department said jobless claims grew last week to 361,000. The less-volatile four-week moving average of jobless claims fell 13,750 to 367,750, the lowest level since late October. Claims had surged in early November following superstorm Sandy, but have since retreated. About 5.4 million people were receiving some type of unemployment benefit last week, down from almost 7.2 million a year earlier.
