Jobless Claims Rise to 853,000 Amid Resurgence of COVID-19

Worker applications for unemployment benefits rose sharply last week, an indication layoffs remain at a high level nearly nine months into the coronavirus pandemic.

Weekly initial claims for jobless benefits, a proxy for layoffs, rose by 137,000 to a seasonally adjusted 853,000 in the week ended Dec. 5, the Labor Department said Thursday. That marked the highest level of applications since September, but was still well down from a peak of nearly seven million in late March.

Jobless claims have mostly trended down since the spring, when the pandemic caused...

Applications for U.S. unemployment benefits surged last week, topping estimates with the highest level since September, suggesting that widening business shutdowns to curb the pandemic are spurring fresh job losses.

Initial jobless claims in regular state programs rose by 137,000 to 853,000 in the week ended Dec. 5, Labor Department data showed Thursday. On an unadjusted basis, the figure increased by almost 229,000. The prior week included Thanksgiving, and data tend to be volatile around holidays.

Continuing claims, the number of Americans on ongoing unemployment benefits, jumped by 230,000 to...