By Mucahithan Avcioglu
ISTANBUL (AA) - The number of Americans filing first-time unemployment claims rose 22,000 last week to 231,000, according to US Labor Department data released Thursday.
Markets expected the figure to rise to 212,000 from the previous week's 209,000.
The four-week moving average was 212,250 -- an increase of 6,000 from the previous week's upwardly revised 206,250.
The US economy added 50,000 jobs in December, below forecasts, following a 56,000 gain in November.
The unemployment rate was down to 4.4% in December, from 4.5% in November, below expectations.