US jobless claims edge higher during latest week

US jobless claims continued to hover near their recent lows, reflecting still low levels of firings in the economy.

According to the Department of Labor, initial unemployment claims for the week ending on 15 February edged up by 4,000 to reach 210,000, as expected.

The four-week moving average meanwhile, which aims to smooth out the volatility in the data from one week to the next, fell by 3,250 to 209,000.

Secondary unemployment claims, which are those not filed for the first time and that reference the week ending on 8 February, increased just a tad, rising by 25,000 to 1.726m.

Initial claims for the week to 8 February were revised up marginally, by 1,000 to 205,000.