THE ECONOMY

The number of U.S. workers filing for state unemployment benefits rose by 11,000 last week but remained below the 300,000 mark--suggesting companies are still on the hunt for workers. First-time jobless claims increased to a seasonally adjusted 299,000 for the week ended April 3, higher than economists’ average forecast of 290,000. This week’s report marks the 10th in a row in which initial claims have stayed below 300,000, the longest such stretch since an 18-month run that ended in December 1973.