New jobless claims at 412,000, more than expected

The number of new applications for unemployment benefits rose 37,000 last week to 412,000, the Labor Department reported on Thursday.

The number of new jobless claims represents the number of people who filed for unemployment in the previous week. The new figure was more than forecasters’ expectations of 359,000 new claims. The number is also higher than the week before, which saw 375,000 filings.

Weekly jobless claims are being watched closely as the U.S. economy recovers because recent monthly jobs reports have been less than stellar and have added to concerns that...