Jobless claims rise to 200,000 but remain historically low

The Labor Department reported that initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose by 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 200,000 for the week ending November 7. The increase exceeded economists’ 195,000 forecast, while claims remained at a level that reports described as historically low.

Claims have been at or below 200,000 for nine consecutive weeks, and no weekly reading during that stretch exceeded 230,000, according to the reporting. The four-week average of initial claims was unchanged at 195,250, a measure that smooths week-to-week fluctuations.

The department also reported that continuing claims, covering people receiving benefits after an initial week of aid, fell by 20,000 to a seasonally adjusted 1.697 million for the week ending October 31. Continuing claims are sometimes used as a proxy for hiring, but they exclude some unemployed people, including recent graduates and those with little work history. In most states, benefits are limited to 26 weeks, so people who exhaust eligibility are no longer counted.

The figures offer different possible readings of the labor market. Low initial claims can indicate that layoffs are limited, but economists cited in the reports...