The seasonally adjusted figure was an increase of 69,000 compared with the week ending Jan 19. The 4-week average of initial claims also increased, hitting an average of 325,750, an increase of 10,250.

The number of actual initial claims under state programs for the week ending Jan. 26 totaled 366,891, a decrease of 48,258 from the previous week, but up from the 359,959 claims filed under state jobless programs in the fourth week of January 2006.

New claims filed by former federal civilian employees for the week ending Jan. 19 dropped to 1,540, which was 710 less than the previous week, the department said.