The number of people filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose sharply last week but remained in a range consistent with moderate job growth, the U.S. government reported Thursday. The Labor Department said jobless claims jumped 38,000 last week to 368,000. The increase comes after jobless claims in the previous two weeks plunged by a combined 45,000 to five-year lows. The week-to-week volatility is typical for this time of year, reflecting layoffs after the holiday shopping season, analysts said. The four-week moving average of jobless claims, a better measure of labor-market trends, rose slightly to 352,000 last week, suggesting a steady improvement in hiring conditions.
