First time claims for unemployment at 6 week high

(CNN)– Jobless claims have risen to a 6 week high.

According to Labor Department data released on Thursday, Dec. 5, 224 thousand people applied for 1st time unemployment benefits last week.

That is 9 thousand more than the week before.

It is also much higher than the 214 thousand filings economists were expecting.

Despite the uptick in initial claims, people continuing to receive unemployment benefits fell.

That number dropped by 25 thousand and now stands at 1.87 million.