The number of people who filed for unemployment assistance in the U.S. last week fell less than expected, but remained in territory consistent with a strengthening labor market, official data showed on Thursday.
The number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending June 3 decreased by 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 245,000 from the previous week's total of 255,000, the U.S. Department of Labor said.
Analysts expected jobless claims to fall by 15,000 to 240,000 last week.
The four-week moving average was 242,000, up 2,250 from the previous week. The monthly average is seen as a more accurate gauge of labor trends because it reduces volatility in the week-to-week data.