First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending Jan. 5, increased from the previous week's total.
The state labor department figures released Friday show the initial claims increased to 3,253 from the previous week's total of 2,505. Initial claims were below the comparable week a year earlier at 4,372.
The four-week moving average, which is a less volatile measure of claims, decreased to 3,196 from the previous week's total of 3,262.
Continued unemployment claims claimed for the week ending Jan. 5 increased to 32,001, compared to the previous week's total of 31,009. The four-week moving average for such claims increased to 31,494 from the previous week's average of 31,315.