August 3, 2006 8:40 AM, EDT

Initial Jobless Claims Rise for Week

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irst-time U.S. jobless claims rose 14,000 to 301,000 last week, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The level, which rose from a six-week low, was below economists’ forecast of 380,000, Bloomberg reported.

The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, was little changed at 313,750

ontinuing jobless claims for the previous week ended July 22 rose to 2.48 million from 2.47 million a week earlier.