U.S. Jobless Claims Increase to Highest Level in Seven Weeks

Filings for U.S. unemployment benefits increased by more than expected to a seven-week high, a possible sign of strains in the labor market that could factor in to the Federal Reserve’s debate over whether to cut interest rates next month.

Jobless claims rose by 10,000 to 227,000 in the week ended June 22, according to Labor Department figures released Thursday that exceeded all estimates in Bloomberg’s survey of economists. The four-week average, a less-volatile measure, increased to 221,250, the highest in more than a month.