MIAMI – First-time unemployment claims increased for a second consecutive week in Florida.
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday released a report estimating that Florida had 7,513 jobless claims during the week that ended July 16, up from a revised count of 7,267 during the week that ended July 9.
The estimate pushed up a running four-week average of new claims in Florida from 6,560 to 6,813.
Since the start of the year, the weekly average stands at 5,838.
Also last week, estimated claims nationally increased by 7,000 to 251,000. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity on Friday will release a June unemployment report.
The national unemployment rate held at 3.6 percent from May to June.
Earlier this month, the Labor Department issued reports that showed the consumer-price index was up 1.3 percent in June and 9.1 percent over the past 12 months and that the national economy added 372,000 jobs in June.