BUSINESS MEMO: NEW CLAIMS UP

A larger-than-expected number of Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week, pushing applications to their highest level since the beginning of the year.

Many economists believe the increase mostly reflected a seasonal fluke and said that, among other things, they would need to see a sustained rise in claims to conclude that the supercharged economy is really slowing.

For the week ending June 3, new claims for jobless benefits rose by 20,000 to 309,000, the highest level since Jan. 8, the Labor Department reported Thursday.