US initial jobless claims increase by 11,000
The number of Americans filing new unemployment claims jumped 11,000 to 227,000 in the week ended 5 March, up from an upwardly revised print of 216,000 in the previous weed and ahead of market expectations for a reading of 217,000.
According to the Labor Department, the four-week moving average printed at 231,250, an increase of 500 from the previous week's revised average, while the previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 230,500 to 230,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.1% for the week ended 26 February, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised reading.