The number of U.S. workers filing initial claims for jobless aid rose 10,000 last week to the highest level in nearly two months, government data showed on Thursday.
First-time applications for state unemployment insurance benefits rose for the third straight week, climbing to 324,000 in the week ended June 16 from a revised 314,000 the prior week the Labor Department said.
New claims rose to their highest level since measuring 325,000 in the week ended April 21.
Rudy Narvas, senior analyst at 4Cast Ltd in New York, said the data "should point to some downside risk to the payrolls number for June, suggesting that it is going to be slightly softer than May."