The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits increased moderately last week, suggesting that the labor market continued to steadily cool.Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 9,

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week but remains at historically healthy levels. Jobless claim applications rose by 9,000 to 224,000 for the week of Nov. 30, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 216,000 claims for the latest week. Claims have retreated from the near 1-1/2-year high seen in early October, which was the result of hurricanes and strikes at Boeing BA.N and another aerospace company.

More Americans filed for initial jobless benefits last week, according to the Department of Labor. The week through Nov. 30 brought 224,000 initial jobless claims, compared with 215,000 a week earlier.