August 29, 2003	Friday	Jumadi-us-Sani 30, 1424

WASHINGTON, Aug 28: The number of workers filing for US state unemployment benefits rose slightly but remained under the key 400,000 level again last week, the Labour Department said on Thursday.

The weekly number of new claims rose 3,000 to 394,000 in the week ended August 23. It was the sixth straight week under 400,000 for the four-week average, following 22 consecutive weeks above that level.

The four-week average of weekly filings rose to 396,250 from a revised 395,750.

Claims may have been slightly higher in the week to August 23 because those who would have filed for the first time in the previous week delayed making their claim by a week as a result of the power failure in the northeast and the Midwest, a Labour Department official said.—AFP