The number of people filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose last week from a six-year low, the U.S. government reported Thursday, but the broader market trend suggests companies are laying off fewer workers and could increase hiring in coming months. The Labor Department said initial jobless claims rose 13,000 to 336,000. But the four-week moving average of jobless claims, considered a better measure because it smoothes weekly volatility, fell to its lowest level since November 2007, indicating the economy was growing enough to fuel steady improvement in the labor market. At 330,500, the four-week average was about 5 percent lower than it was in July, when employers added a weak 162,000 net jobs. The drop in jobless claims over the past month suggests employers added at least 200,000 jobs in August. The government's comprehensive job-creation report will be released Friday.
