U.S. Jobless Claims Rise by 9,000 to 200,000

New applications for unemployment benefits rose by 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 200,000 in the week ending November 7, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday.

The previous week's initial claims figure was revised up by 2,000, from 189,000 to 191,000. Economists surveyed by Reuters had expected 195,000 claims for the latest week.

The four-week moving average, which helps smooth weekly fluctuations, was 195,250. That was unchanged from the previous week's revised average.

Continuing claims, which track people receiving benefits after their first week of aid, fell by 20,000 to a seasonally adjusted 1.697 million in the week ending October 31. That series is reported with a one-week lag.

Initial claims count applications for benefits after a separation from an employer. They do not measure every unemployed person: some people, including workers with little or no qualifying work history, are not covered by the program.

The department cautions that the weekly figures can be volatile and are revised as states submit updated reports. The latest increase came alongside a flat four-week average rather than a matching rise in that broader measure.