By Aysu Bicer
ANKARA (AA) - The number of Americans filing first-time unemployment claims last week rose by 1,000 to 203,000, the US Labor Department announced on Thursday.
The market estimate for initial jobless claims was 195,000.
The previous week's level was revised upwards by 2,000 from 200,000 to 202,000, the department said in a statement.
On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, initial claims fell 6,554 from the previous week to 191,803, with notable declines in Massachusetts (-3,140), California (-2,816), and New Jersey (-2,466).
The four-week moving average, which removes week-to-week volatility, was 192,750, up 4,250 from the previous week's revised average.