- Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 1.55 million claims in the latest.
- The number of people staying on benefits remained high, with continued claims number at 20.929 million for the week ended May 30.
- The weekly jobless claims report, the most timely data on the economy’s health, followed news last Friday of a surprise 2.5 million increase in nonfarm payrolls in May.
- Claims for jobless benefits are still more than double their peak during the 2007-09 Great Recession.