U.S. initial jobless claims rose 9,000 to 209,000 in the week ended Aug. 8, the
U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday, vs a median estimate of 202,000. Claims
remain near historic lows; the increase may reflect typical summer volatility
from seasonal hiring patterns and holiday scheduling. Economists said they will
wait for more weekly readings before reassessing the recent stability of the
labor market.