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Initial jobless claims increased last week for the first time in a month, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Claims rose by 15,000 for the week ended Saturday, to 381,000, Labor said.

Economists had forecast 375,000 new claims, Bloomberg reported.

The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, fell to 375,00, the lowest level since June 2008.

Continuing jobless claims for the previous week ended Dec. 17 rose by 34,000 to 3.6 million.