U.S. jobless claims rise in week by 7,000

Washington -- First-time claims for U.S. unemployment insurance rose by 7,000 during the week ending Aug. 2, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday.

The 455,000 initial benefits claims bumped the four-week rolling average to 419,500, an increase of 26,750 from the previous week's rolling average, the department reported.

The U.S. unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.7 percent.

The biggest increases in claims for the week ending July 25 were reported by Ohio with 4,634 additional claims; California, which added 3,911; and Illinois, which added 1,496, the report said.

On the week ending July 25, the biggest decreases were reported by Michigan with a decline of 7,492 claims; Wisconsin, declining by 6,835; and North Carolina with 4,415 fewer claims than the week of July 18.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.