US first-time jobless figs rise again

First-time jobless claims in the US rose a second straight week, the US Labour Department has reported, but cites inclement weather conditions for distorting the data.

The four-week average of initial claims rose 5,000 to 350,500 in the week ended February 7 - the highest level in a month and higher than expected.

The consensus forecast of Wall Street economists was for the four-week moving average to rise by 1,000 to 345,000.

The number of initial claims in the week ending January 31 rose by 6,000 to 363,000.

This is the highest level since the first week of December 2003.

A Labour Department official attributed ice storms in the Southeast for impacting the data for the second consecutive week but didn't quantify the impact.

He said the increases in jobless claims over the past two weeks should not be seen as a sign of a deteriorating labour market.

The number of Americans receiving state jobless benefits fell to the lowest level since July 28, 2001 with total claims falling to 3.083 million in the week ending January 31.

The four-week moving average of continuing claims fell 11,000 to 3.106 million, the lowest since August 2001.