US weekly jobless claims increased amid government shutdown, economists estimate

The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits increased again last week, economists estimated on Thursday, hinting at some early layoffs of contractors related to the U.S. government shutdown.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose to a seasonally adjusted 235,000 for the week ending Oct. 4 from 224,000 the prior week, economists at JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs calculated. They made assumptions for Hawaii and Massachusetts, whose data was unavailable.

Official economic data collection and publication has been suspended because of the government shutdown, now in its second week.

States have continued to collect unemployment claims data and submit it to the Labor Department’s database, which remains accessible. The shutdown following a lapse in funding has delayed the release of the closely watched employment report for September, crucial for decision-making by the Federal Reserve, businesses and households.

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