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US unemployment nears six-month high over Christmas period

This April 3, 2015 file photo shows unemployed people as they line up for a free meal and new shoes in Los Angeles, California. (AFP photo)

An official report says the number of Americans filing for US unemployment insurance benefits has jumped to a nearly six-month high during the Christmas holiday season.

The report published by the US Labor Department on Thursday said initial jobless claims rose by 20,000 to 287,000 in the week ending 26 December, marking the highest level of new claims.

"Despite the modest rise in initial claims towards year-end, both initial and continuing jobless claims improved considerably in 2015 and both series remain at or near their lowest levels since the early 1970s," said Rob Martin at Barclays Research Center.

A job seeker enters the HireLive Career Fair on November 12, 2015 in San Francisco, California. (AFP photo)

According to the report, claims overall have held below 300,000 since early March amid moderate economic growth and steady job creation that pushed the unemployment rate to 5% in November, a seven-year low.

Martin added, "These data indicate that, at least from the separations side, the labour market remained strong to the very end of the year."

The US Labor Department said there were no special factors impacting the data.


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