WRAPUP 1-US weekly jobless claims at two-month high; trade deficit widens in February

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits increased to a two-month high last week amid a gradual easing in labor market conditions. The weekly claims report from the Labor Department on Thursday also showed fewer people remaining on jobless rolls towards the end of March, suggesting that laid-off workers continued to find work, though not as easily as two years ago.

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits increased to a two-month high last week amid a gradual easing in labor market conditions.

The weekly claims report from the Labor Department on Thursday also showed fewer people remaining on jobless rolls towards the end of March, suggesting that laid-off workers continued to find work, though not as easily as two years ago. "The labor market remains very strong," said Gus Faucher, chief economist at PNC Financial in Pittsburgh.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 221,000 for the week ended March 30, the report showed. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 214,000 claims in the latest week. Claims had bounced around between 210,000 and 212,000 for much of March. Some economists attributed the larger-than-expected rise in claims to an early Easter this year, which could have thrown off the model that the government uses to strip seasonal fluctuations from the data.

Unadjusted claims increased 2,455 to 196,376 last week. There were significant rises in filings in California, Iowa, Illinois and Pennsylvania. These offset notable declines in Texas, Missouri and Georgia. "We won't infer anything from one week's rise in claims, particularly since it occurred around a holiday, when claims data can be noisier than usual," said Nancy Vanden Houten, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics in New York.

Though layoffs increased to a 14-month high in March, job cuts were little changed compared to the same period last year. There were 1.36 job openings for every unemployed person in February compared to 1.43 in January, government data showed this week. Worker shortages persist in industries like construction.

Labor market resilience is anchoring the economy, with gross domestic product increasing at a brisk 3.4% annualized rate in the fourth quarter. Growth estimates for the first quarter are as high as a 2.8% pace. That strength, combined with still-high inflation, could see the Federal Reserve delaying much- anticipated interest rate cuts this year. Fed Chair Jerome Powell reiterated on Wednesday that the U.S. central bank has time to deliberate over its first rate cut, in a nod to the economy's stamina and high inflation.

Since March 2022, the Fed has raised its policy rate by 525 basis points to the current 5.25%-5.50% range. SOLID JOB GAINS EXPECTED

The number of people receiving benefits after an initial week of aid, a proxy for hiring, dropped 19,000 to 1.791 million during the week ending March 23, the claims report showed. The claims data have no bearing on March's employment report, scheduled to be released on Friday, as they fall outside the survey period. Nonfarm payrolls likely increased by 200,000 jobs last month after rising by 275,000 in February, according to a Reuters survey.

The unemployment rate is forecast unchanged at 3.9%. A separate report from the Commerce Department showed the trade deficit widened for a second straight month in February as an increase in exports to a record high was offset by surging imports, suggesting trade could be a drag on economic growth in the first quarter.

The trade deficit increased 1.9% to $68.9 billion, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis said. Economists had forecast the deficit little changed at $67.3 billion. When adjusted for inflation, the goods trade deficit increased 1.2% to $87.0 billion in February. Most of the imported goods likely ended up as inventories, which could offset the anticipated hit on gross domestic product from the widening trade gap. Trade added 0.25 percentage point to the economy's 3.4% annualized growth rate in the fourth quarter after being neutral for two straight quarters.

Exports jumped 2.3% to an all-time high of $263.0 billion. Goods exports accelerated 2.9% to $176.7 billion. There were increases in exports of industrial supplies and materials, which include crude oil. Food exports rose $1.7 billion, boosted by soybeans. Capital goods exports increased $1.5 billion to a record high $53.0 billion, amid a rise in civilian aircraft. But exports of motor vehicles, parts and engines decreased $1.3 billion. Exports of services rose $0.8 billion to an all-time high of $86.4 billion, lifted by travel and transport.

Imports advanced 2.2% to $331.9 billion in February, the highest level since October 2022. Goods imports shot up 1.8% to $268.1 billion. There were increases in imports of consumer goods, food as well as motor vehicles, parts and engines. Services imports rose $2.4 billion to a record $63.8 billion.

(Reporting By Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Andrea Ricci)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)