Initial jobless claims in the US rose slightly to 199,000 in the week ending
Aug. 1, remaining below 200,000 for a third straight week and pushing the
four-week moving average to its lowest level since Sep. 2022, the Labor
Department said Thursday. Continued claims increased to 1.8 million, roughly in
line with expectations. Economists expect Friday's July nonfarm payrolls to show
continued healthy job growth, citing ongoing consumer spending as support for
activity.
