MNI: US DATA: JOBLESS CLAIMS AT 5.25M IN APRIL 11....>

MNI: US DATA: JOBLESS CLAIMS AT 5.25M IN APRIL 11 WEEK

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-US JOBLESS CLAIMS 5.245M IN APRIL 11 WK

-US NSA JOBLESS CLAIMS 4.972M IN APRIL 11 WEEK

-US INIT CLAIMS 4-WEEK AVG 5.509M IN APRIL 11 WEEK

-US CONTINUING CLAIMS 11.976M IN APRIL 4 WK; 12.527M NSA

-US INIT CLAIMS REV TO 6.615M IN APRIL 4 WEEK (PREV 6.606K)

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Initial jobless claims filed through April 11 reached 5.245 million Thursday,

slightly below market expectations for a 5.5 million level and more than 1

million short of the upwardly revised 6.615 million initial claims the Labor

Department reported last week. Continuing claims, representing unemployed

workers who have received at least one week of benefits, skyrocketed to nearly

12 million in Thursday's report. The Labor Department said the COVID-19 virus

"continues to impact the number of initial claims and insured unemployment."