US: Weekly initial claims was 248,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week

In the week ending July 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 248,000, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's unrevised level, said the US Department of Labor on Thursday.

Key highlights:

• The 4-week moving average was 243,000, an increase of 750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 242,250
• The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.4 percent for the week ending June 24, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate. 
• The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending June 24 was 1,956,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's revised level
• The 4-week moving average was 1,944,750, an increase of 6,750 from the previous week's revised average