Economics
U.S. Jobless Claims Rise, Concentrated in a Few States
- Missouri, Ohio and Kentucky contribute most to jump in claims
- Economists expect them to ease as Covid restrictions loosen
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Applications for U.S. state unemployment insurance unexpectedly rose for the first time since mid-January, mainly concentrated in a few states in the South and Midwest, while most others declined.
Initial unemployment claims increased by 23,000 to 248,000 in the week ended Feb. 12, Labor Department data showed Thursday. That time period is particularly scrutinized because it reflects the reference week for the February jobs report that’s due early next month.