In the week ended Nov. 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 352,000, an increase of 23,000, or 7.0%, from the previous week's revised figure of 329,000. The four-week moving average was 335,250, an increase of 5,750 from the previous week's revised average of 329,500.

In the most recent state numbers, for the week ended Nov. 17, Texas registered the largest increase in initial unemployment claims, up 1,097. The state cited layoffs in the information, service, and manufacturing industries. Michigan posted the largest decrease in claims, down 6,493. It reported fewer layoffs in the auto industry.