New applications for US jobless benefits dipped in the latest week but remained at levels too high to put a dent in the unemployment rate. The labour department said new jobless claims fell to 414,000 in the week ended June 11th from an upwardly revised 430,000 in the previous week.

Economists had been looking for a smaller decline, to 420,000. Claims have been above 400,000 for two months, reflecting a rough patch in the recovery that has led to renewed weakness in an already anaemic job market.

Continuing claims eased to 3.68 million from 3.70 million in the week to June 4th, while the total number of recipients on benefit rolls remained at 7.4 million in the week ending May 28th, down about 200,000 from a week earlier. The economy produced just 54,000 new jobs in May and the unemployment rate rose to 9.1 per cent from 9.0 per cent.

– (Reuters)