Initial Unemployment Claims Rise in Louisiana

The state labor department says first-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending Dec. 20 increased to 2,531 from the previous week’s total of 2,506.

For the comparable week a year earlier, there were 2,578 initial claims, officials said.

The four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, decreased to 2,383, from the previous week’s average of 2,387.

Continued unemployment claims for the week ending Dec. 20 increased to 20,837 compared to 20,322 the previous week.

The four-week moving average for such claims increased to 20,327 from the previous week’s average of 20,059.