"Import prices were certainly a problem for businesses in the last three months, but we've seen those pressures ease"
- Jacob Oubina, a senior U.S. economist at RBC Capital Markets LLC
The number of Americans claiming for unemployment benefits rose to 380 thousand in the week ended April 7 from the week before, said the Department of Labor on Thursday.
"On the back of last week's employment report, this does suggest momentum in labor market is slowing a bit," said Sean Incremona, a senior economist with 4Cast Inc. in New York.
"I wouldn't, though, read one claims report and one payrolls report as suggesting that the trend of improvement has stalled."
In a separate report, the Commerce Department said the trade deficit in the U.S. narrowed more than expected in February. The gap shrank to $46 billion, the smallest since October, from a revised $52.5 billion in January.
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