Labor Department reports first-time claims for unemployment benefits rose by 31,000.
(AP) -- The Labor Department reports first-time claims for unemployment benefits rose by 31,000 last week.
That increase mostly offsets a drop of 41,000 claims the previous week.
Experts are concerned the uneven filings will translate to how the labor market will improve this year.
Nearly 8.5 million jobs have been lost since the recession began in December of 2007.
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