After reporting a notable decrease in first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits in the previous week, the Labor Department released a report on Thursday showing initial jobless claims rebounded in the week ended December 15th.
The report said initial jobless claims rose to 214,000, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 206,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to climb to 216,000.
The slightly smaller than expected rebound came after jobless claims fell to their lowest level in nearly three months in the previous week.
The Labor Department said the less volatile four-week moving average dipped to 222,000, a decrease of 2,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 224,750.
Continuing claims, a reading on the number of people receiving ongoing unemployment assistance, climbed by 27,000 to 1.688 million in the week ended December 8th.
The four-week moving average of continuing claims rose to 1,672,500, an increase of 6,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 1,665,750.
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