The number of people filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, the second consecutive weekly increase, but the longer-term trend in layoffs remained consistent with an improving job market, the U.S. government reported Thursday. The Labor Department said jobless claims rose 16,000 to 357,000 last week. The four-week moving average, a better gauge of labor-market conditions, rose 2,250 to 343,000, only slightly higher than the previous week's five-year low of 340,750. The number of people still receiving unemployment benefits fell 27,000 to 3.05 million last week, the lowest level since June 2008. Jobless claims are a measure of layoffs. While volatile week to week, they have been declining steadily since November, coinciding with solid job growth. The labor market is being watched closely by the Federal Reserve, which said last week it would maintain its monthly $85 billion purchases of mortgage and Treasury bonds to support faster job growth.
