With the more closely watched monthly jobs report looming, the Labor Department released a report on Thursday showing a modest increase in first-time claims for US unemployment benefits in the week ended April 30.
The report showed initial jobless claims rose to 200,000, an increase of 19,000 from the previous week's revised level of 181,000.
Economists had expected jobless claims to inch up to 182,000 from the 180,000 originally reported for the previous week.
The Labor Department said the less volatile four-week moving average also edged up to 188,000, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's revised average of 180,000.
