U.S. jobless claims increase, but still near cycle lows

week, but remained near cycle lows in a sign that the jobs

market was gaining steam.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased

12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 267,000 for the week ended July

25, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Claims for the prior

week were unrevised at 255,000, which was the lowest level since

November 1973.

A Labor Department analyst said there were no special

factors influencing the data and that only claims for

Puerto Rico had been estimated.

The four-week moving average of claims, considered a better

measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week

volatility, fell 3,750 to 274,750 last week.

Thursday's claims report showed the number of people still

receiving benefits after an initial week of aid rose 46,000 to

2.26 million in the week ended July 18. The so-called continuing

claims covered the week during which the government surveyed

households for July's unemployment rate.

(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Andrea Ricci)

((Lucia.Mutikani@thomsonreuters.com; 1 202 898 8315; Reuters

Messaging: lucia.mutikani.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))