The US four-week moving average of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 3,750 last week to a total of 278,750 from the previous week’s upwardly revised average, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the US Department of Labor.

The four-week moving average decreases the volatility of the weekly numbers. Total initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ended June 6 rose by 2,000 to a total of 279,000 from the previous week’s upwardly revised level.

No special factors affected this week’s initial claims.

Bloomberg reports claims rose more than its median forecast of 48 economists, which called for 275,000 claims, but the data indicate employers are retaining workers in anticipation of a pickup in demand this quarter after a slow start to the year.

MarketWatch reports number of US workers who applied for unemployment benefits in the first week of June remained near a 15-year low, reflecting a low rate of layoffs and an upsurge in hiring over the past few years.