U.S. jobless claims increase 21,000 to 377,000 (by Jeffry Bartash)

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Jobless claims climbed by 21,000 to a seasonally adjusted 377,000 in the week ended Jan. 21, the U.S. Labor Department said Thursday. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch estimated claims would climb to 373,000. Claims from two weeks ago were revised up by 4,000 to 356,000. The average of four-week claims fell slightly, down 2,500 to 377,500. The monthly average smoothes out seasonal quirks and is viewed as a more accurate gauge of labor-market trends. Continuing claims increased by 88,000 to a seasonally adjusted 3.55 million in the week ended Jan. 14. Continuing claims are reported with a one-week lag. About 7.64 million people received some kind of state or federal benefit in the week ended Jan. 7, down 188,612 from the prior week. Total claims are reported with a two-week lag.