U.S. Weekly Jobless Claims Rise But Remain Near Half-Century Low

The number of Americans applying for jobless benefits for the first time increased by 21,000 to 218,000 last week.

More Americans applied for jobless aid last week, but the total number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits is at a 53-year low.

Applications for unemployment benefits rose by 21,000 to 218,000 for the week ending May 14, the Labor Department reported Thursday. First-time applications generally track the number of layoffs.

The four-week average for claims, which smooths out some of the weekly volatility, rose 8,250 from the previous week to 199,500.