Weekly initial claims climbed 12K to 211K, above the 205K estimate, marking the highest level since early April.
US initial jobless claims increased by 12,000 to 211,000 for the week ending May 9, surpassing the 205,000 estimate. The prior week was revised downward to 199,000 from 200,000.
The four-week moving average edged up to 203.75K from a revised 203.0K, remaining below the year-ago level of 229.25K. Continuing claims rose by 24,000 to 1.782 million, though the prior week was revised down by 8,000.
The insured unemployment rate held at 1.2%, revised from an earlier 1.2%. The data suggests a modest uptick in labor market softness but remains within recent ranges.