The number of Americans receiving jobless benefits exceeded 6 million for the first time, while new jobless claims fell unexpectedly last week, the government said Thursday. The Labor Department reported that the number of people continuing to receive state unemployment benefits for more than one week rose 172,000 to a bigger-than-expected 6.022 million. It was the highest level of continued jobless claims on record. According to the report, initial jobless claims fell to 610,000 last week from 663,000 the previous week. The result was significantly below analysts' expectations of 655,000 and was the lowest weekly level since late January. Still, weekly jobless claims a year ago stood at 369,000. The four-week moving average of new jobless claims—a better gauge of labor-market conditions because it smoothes weekly fluctuations—fell to 651,000 last week from 659,500 the previous week.
