First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits rose by much more than expected in the week ended August 5th, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Thursday.
The report said initial jobless claims climbed to 248,000, an increase of 21,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 227,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to inch up to 230,000.
The Labor Department also said the less four-week moving average crept up to 231,000, an increase of 2,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 228,250.
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August 21, 2026 14:42 ET The minutes of the latest policy meeting of the Federal Reserve, housing market data and manufacturing sector survey results were the main news for the U.S. economy this week. In Europe, inflation data from the U.K. was the highlight, while consumer price data from Japan drew attention in Asia.