US jobless claims unexpectedly rise but hold near pandemic low

Claims increased by 2,000 to 373,000 in the week ending July 3, the US Labor Department said on Thursday.

Applications for US state unemployment insurance edged up last week, though remained near a pandemic low, as the labour market grinds its way towards a full recovery. Initial claims in regular state programmes increased by 2,000 to 373,000 in the week ended July 3, Labor Department data showed Thursday. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for 350,000 new applications.