Applications for US unemployment benefits rose slightly, while remaining at a level consistent with a stable labor market.
Initial claims increased by 5,000 to 215,000 in the week ended May 23, the highest since mid-April, according to Labor Department data released Thursday. Continuing claims, a proxy for the number of people receiving benefits, rose to 1.79 million in the previous week.
Even after the recent uptick, both metrics are still near historically low levels. Filings have been subdued this year despite rounds of job cuts announced by high-profile companies, most notably white-collar positions in industries such as technology.
