US filings for jobless claims inch up modestly, but continuing claims rise for ninth straight week

AP Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits inched up last week, but remain at historically healthy levels despite elevated interest rates. The Labor Department reported Wednesday that jobless claims for the week ending June 29 rose by 4,000 to 238,000 from 234,000 the previous week. The total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits rose for the ninth straight week, to 1.86 million, for the week of June 22. That’s the most since November of 2021. Weekly unemployment claims are widely considered as representative of layoffs. The data was issued one day earlier than its regular Thursday release due to the July Fourth holiday.