Jobless claims increase in La.

First-time claims for unemployment insurance in Louisiana for the week ending Aug. 4 increased to 3,216 from the previous week’s 2,988.

For the comparable week a year earlier, there were 4,033 initial claims.

The four-week moving average, which is a less volatile measure of claims, decreased to 3,240 from the previous week’s total of 3,426.

Continued unemployment claims claimed for the week ending Aug. 4 dipped to 36,452, compared to 36,639 the previous week. The four-week moving average for such claims increased to 36,512 from 36,264.