Goldman Sachs: Analysis shows the number of first-time jobless claims in the United States rose slightly to 224,000

U.S. jobless claims edged up last week, according to a Goldman Sachs analysis of state-by-state unemployment claims data. The analysis is based on data released by states during the federal government shutdown. In a note to clients, Goldman Sachs economists such as Jan Hatzius said initial jobless claims are expected to rise to about 224,000 in the week ending September 27, higher than the 218,000 the government had reported in the previous issue. The bank adjusted existing state-by-state original data sources using seasonal factors pre-announced by the Labor Department. Due to the government shutdown, the Labor Department did not release a weekly report on Thursday, but provided downloadable data for most states. The September jobs report, originally scheduled for early Friday, was also delayed.