
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, September 2, 1994                   TAG: 9409020053
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                 LENGTH: Short

JOBLESS CLAIMS REACH HIGHEST LEVEL IN 6 WEEKS

The number of Americans filing first-time claims for state unemployment benefits increased by 9,000 last week to the highest level in six weeks, the government said Thursday.

The increase was slightly smaller than what most economists were expecting, as merchants and other businesses that hire summer workers begin laying off seasonal employees.

Analysts did not expect the dismissal of summer workers to affect the August unemployment figures, to be released today.

The largest increases were reported in Texas, 1,112; New York, 477; Virginia, 179; Rhode Island, 143; and South Dakota, 118. The largest decreases were reported in California, 4,325; North Carolina, 1,587; Michigan, 1,510; Missouri, 1,218; and Connecticut, 763.

The Labor Department said a seasonally adjusted 332,000 people filed initial jobless claims in the week ended Aug.27, up from a revised 323,000 in the previous week.

The Labor Department's four-week moving average of initial claims was 326,250, up 4,250 from the previous week's 322,000. It was the first increase in five weeks.

Analysts pay more attention to the four-week average because it smooths out weekly fluctuations and is considered a more accurate indicator of hiring trends.

by CNB