U.S. jobless claims inch up last week

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The number of people filing for U.S. unemployment benefits rose slightly in the week ending Dec. 30, due to volatility in the year-end holidays, the U.S. Labor Department said Thursday.

The seasonally adjusted figure of initial jobless claims across the United States was 250,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised level. The four-week moving average was 241,750, an increase of 3,500 from the previous week's revised average, said the Labor Department.

Although the number of jobless claims inched up last week, it was still well below the 300,000 threshold, which is associated with a strong labor market.

With jobless claims below 300,000 for more than two years and unemployment rate at a 17-year low of 4.1 percent, the U.S. labor market is near full employment.

The U.S. private sector added 250,000 jobs in December, signaling the strength in labor market and the whole economy, according to a separate report released by the ADP Research Institute on Thursday. Enditem