There were 352,000 first-time claims for unemployment insurance last week, up by 4,000 from the week before, the Employment and Training Administration reports.
The "4-week moving average" that gauges the trend rose by 2,750, to 361,250.
Bloomberg News characterizes the news this way: "The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits was little changed last week, signaling the labor market is stabilizing." Reuters says the report "could further allay fears of a major setback in the labor market recovery."
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