Weekly Jobless Claims Surge by 69,000

MoneyNews
Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008

WASHINGTON -- The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless aid jumped by a much larger-than-expected 69,000 last week to the highest in over two years, government data Thursday showed, but the numbers were likely skewed by the timing of a public holiday.
The Labor Department said that initial claims for state insurance benefit totaled 375,000 in the week ending Jan. 26, the highest reading since October 2005, when claims reached 376,000. It was also the largest weekly increase since September 2005, when claims had mounted by 95,000, the Labor Department said.

Economists surveyed by Reuters had forecast 315,000 claims last week following an upwardly revised 306,000 the week before, previously reported at 301,000 claims.

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