U.S. Jobless Claims Rose Last Week for First Time Since March

U.S. jobless claims rose last week for the first time since March, the clearest sign yet of a pause in the economic recovery as coronavirus cases surge in much of the country and force businesses to close their doors once again.

Initial claims through regular state programs increased to 1.42 million in the week ended July 18, up 109,000 from the prior week, a Labor Department report showed Thursday; on a non-seasonally adjusted basis, claims declined. There were 16.2 million who filed for ongoing benefits through those programs in the period ended July 11, down from the prior week ...