WASHINGTON: The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose recently for the first time in almost four months, recommending the labor market was stalling amidst a resurgence in new COVID-19 cases and depressed need.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased to a seasonally changed 1.416 million for the week ended July 18, from 1.307 million in the prior week, the Labor Department stated on Thursday. That was the very first weekly increase in applications considering that the week ending March 28, when claims raced to a record 6.867 million as nonessential busine