The number of U.S. initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ended Dec. 5 rose by 17,000, or 3.7%, to 474,000 from the previous week's number of 457,000, the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The increase was more than the 460,000 new claims expected, The Associated Press reported.

The four-week moving average of claims for the week ended Dec. 5 fell by 7,750, or 1.6%, to 473,750 from the previous week's revised average of 481,500.