The number of Americans filing first-time unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, according to the Labor Department. 

Data released Thursday showed 744,000 Americans filed first-time jobless claims in the week ended April 3. Analysts surveyed by Refinitiv were expecting 680,000 filings. The previous week’s total was revised higher by 9,000 to 728,000.

Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more

Join BJL on WhatsApp Groups: Click here to Join an official BJL WhatsApp group for breaking news as it happens

Continuing claims for the week ended March 27, meanwhile, fell to 3.734 million from the prior week’s downwardly revised 3.75 million. Economists had expected the number of continuing claims to decline to 3.65 million. Read more at FOX Business