Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 33,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 258,000 for the week ended October 5.

In the week through Sept. 28, there were 225,000 initial jobless claims, compared economists expectations of 220,000 initial claims.

The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits rose marginally last week, but Hurricane Helene's rampage in the U.S. Southeast and strikes at Boeing and ports could distort the labor market picture in the near term.