US jobless claims rise more than expected

The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits increased slightly during the week ending April 18, indicating weakness in the American labor market.

Expectations had anticipated a rise to 210,000 claims, but data released by the Labor Department on Thursday showed the previous week's figure revised upward by 1,000 to 208,000.

Economists fear that the ongoing war in the Middle East could further undermine the American labor market, especially given the existing pressures stemming from trade policies and stricter immigration measures, according to Reuters.