The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits rose last week.
But it was difficult to get a clear read on the labour market's health because two states appeared to be working through a backlog of unprocessed claims.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased by 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 309,000, the Labor Department said today.
Claims data have been thrown into disarray since an update to government computer systems in California, the nation's most populous state, and Nevada created a backlog in the processing of new claims two weeks ago.
That initially led to a sharp decline in new processed claims earlier this month, and a Labor Department analyst said the two states still appeared to be working through the backlog, which he said could take another week or two.
If taken at face value, the data hinted at a pickup in hiring during September that might make the Federal Reserve more comfortable about a plan to begin winding down a bond-buying economic stimulus programme.
The Fed surprised investors last night by saying it wanted to see clearer signs of an improved labour market outlook before scaling back its stimulus programme. Most investors expected the Fed would reduce bond purchases this month.
Meanwhile, data in a separate report highlighted how much an increase in American exports is helping the global economy achieve a more healthy balance of trade and money flows.
Higher US exports narrowed the country's current account deficit in the second quarter to its lowest level in four years, the Commerce Department said.
The current account deficit, a broad measure of the flow of goods, services and money across national borders, dropped to $98.9 billion in the three months from April to June from a revised $104.9 billion in the prior period.
The second quarter level was the lowest since 2009. The gap was equivalent to 2.4% of national economic output, the smallest ratio since 1998.
The US's persistent current account deficit is widely seen as a problem for the global economy, along with persistent current account surpluses in countries such as China.
America's current account deficit has narrowed substantially in recent years from a record high 6.2% of GDP in the fourth quarter of 2005. Much of the narrowing came from an increase in US exports, which rose 0.9% from the first quarter.
Meanwhile, separate figures showed that sales of previously owned US homes unexpectedly rose in August to the highest level in more than six years as buyers rushed to lock in interest rates before they rise further.
Purchases climbed 1.7% to a 5.48 million annual rate, the highest since February 2007, figures from the National Association of Realtors showed today in Washington.
The data reflect some transactions begun a month or two earlier, when buyers were trying to get loans when mortgage rates were near record lows.
The group’s chief economist said the surge in August was probably the “last hurrah” for the next 12 to 18 months as the jump in borrowing costs and prices hurts affordability.
The median price of an existing home increased 14.7% from a year ago to $212,100, today’s report showed. That was the biggest gain since October 2005.
