By Scott Kanowsky
Investing.com -- The number of Americans filing for unemployment insurance grew by less than expected last week, according to data from the Labor Department.
Seasonally adjusted initial jobless claims during the period totaled 217,000, up from the unrevised prior level of 214,000. Economists had predicted the reading would increase to 220,000.
The four-week moving average, which aims to smooth out volatility in the report, also moved higher by 6,750 to 219,000.