Bloomberg (07/31/14) Jeanna Smialek
The number of people applying for unemployment benefits in the week ended July 26 rose by 23,000 to 302,000, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The 49 economists surveyed by Bloomberg had forecast claims of 300,000. The four-week moving average of new claims dropped by 3,500 to 297,250, the lowest level since April 2006.