The number of people filing initial applications for U.S. state unemployment benefits rose unexpectedly last week but remained near historic lows that signal a healthy job market, the government reported Thursday. The Labor Department said jobless claims rose 7,000 last week to 284,000. It was the 45th consecutive week that claims remained below 300,000, which is typically associated with strong labor-market conditions. The four-week moving average of jobless claims-a better gauge of labor-market trends because it smoothes weekly volatility-rose 3,000 to 278,750 last week, the report said. The total number of people receiving unemployment benefits rose 29,000 to 2.26 million last week. Over the past 12 months, the number of people collecting such aid has fallen 6.3 percent.
