Job vacancy notice at a retail store in Mount Prospect, Ill., Jan. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans filing for unemployment last week hit its highest level in five months, but layoffs remain historic lows.

This reflects the fact that the labor market was largely unaffected by the Federal Reserve rate hikes.

Unemployment claims for the week ending March 4 rose by 21,000 to 211,000 from 190,000 the previous week, the Labor Department said Thursday. It is the first time in eight weeks that requests have exceeded 200,000.

The four-week moving average, which evens out some of the weekly highs and lows, rose 4,000 to 197,000, holding below the 200,000 threshold for the seventh straight week.

This indicator reflects layoffs.

About 1.72 million people received unemployment assistance in the week ending February 25, an increase of 69,000 from the previous week.

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