In the week ending January 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 278,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised up by 2,000 from 265,000 to 267,000. The 4-week moving average was 292,750, a decrease of 6,500 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised up by 750 from 298,500 to 299,250.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.8% for the week ending January 24, unchanged from the previous week’s unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 24 was 2,400,000, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week’s revised level.

According to a related Bloomberg report, fewer Americans than forecast filed jobless claims last week, hovering around levels that are typically associated with an improving job market.

To read the full Department of Labor report, click here.