The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits unexpectedly rose last week, which could heighten fears the COVID-19 pandemic was inflicting lasting damage to the labor market.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits totaled a seasonally adjusted 898,000 for the week ended Oct 10, compared to 845,000 in the prior week, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 825,000 applications in the latest week.

The weak labor market and resulting economic hardship are major hurdles to President Donald Trump’s chances of getting a second term in the White House when Americans go to the polls on Nov. 3. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic Party’s candidate, has blamed the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus crisis for the worst economy in at least 73 years.

Seven months into the pandemic in the United States, claims remain well above their 665,000 peak during the 2007-09 Great Recession, though below a record 6.867 million in March. About 3.8 million people had permanently lost their jobs in September, with another 2.4 million unemployed for more than six months.

https://80naija.com/u-s-weekly-jobless-claims-unexpectedly-increase/

We are in the middle of war, the level of employment is expected to rise globally.

Trump.