First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits unexpectedly inched higher in the week ended July 9th, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Thursday.
The report showed initial jobless claims crept up to 244,000, an increase of 9,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 235,000. The uptick surprised economists, who had expected jobless claims to come in unchanged.
With the unexpected increase, jobless claims reached their highest level since hitting a matching figure in the week ended November 20, 2021.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.