The four-week moving average of initial unemployment claims rose to 368,500 in the week ended April 7, an increase of 4,250 from the previous week’s revised average of 364,250, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The four-week average reduces the volatility of the weekly numbers. Total initial claims for the week ended April 7 rose to 380,000, up 13,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 367,000.