Initial jobless claims unexpectedly surged last week, climbing by 10,000 to 293,000.
Economists had estimated that claims totaled 278,000, but the number of first-time claims for unemployment insurance rose to the highest level since last July.
It's the same week in which the survey for the January jobs report was conducted, and so today's numbers will be watched a bit more closely.
The four-week moving average of claims, which accounts for weekly fluctuations, jumped 6,500 to 285,000.
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