WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people who applied for unemployment benefits rose last week, a sign that the job market remains weak.
Weekly applications increased by 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 401,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.
The gain comes after applications plummeted by 33,000 in the previous week. The drop partly reflected technical difficulties with the department's seasonal adjustment process.
The four-week average, a less volatile measure, fell for the second straight week to 414,000, its lowest level in a month.