The number of people filing new applications for U.S. unemployment benefits rose unexpectedly last week, the government reported Thursday, but the increase not enough to change views that the labor market was strengthening. The Labor Department said initial jobless claims rose 4,000 to 317,000 last week. The four-week average, a less volatile measure considered a better gauge of trends, increased 4,750 to 315,250. Both figures are near levels before the outbreak of the Great Recession in late 2007. The number of people still receiving unemployment benefits rose 11,000 to 2.61 million last week. So-called continuing claims had fallen for five consecutive weeks, an indication that some long-term unemployed were finding work. The U.S. economy added 217,000 jobs in May, the fourth consecutive month of job gains above 200,000. The economy has recouped all the 8.7 million jobs lost during the recession.
