US unemployment claims grow, climbed to 196,000
The number of individuals in the United States who applied for jobless benefits early this month climbed to 196,000, an increase of 13,000, according to US government figures released Thursday.
New unemployment applications edged up from 183,000 in the previous week.
Economists in a Wall Street Journal survey had predicted that new jobless claims would amount to 190,000 for the seven days before February 4.
Meanwhile, inflation continues to hurt the wallets of millions of Americans. Polls find that 50 percent of Americans said they are financially worse off than a year ago.