(Reuters) – The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits edged higher last week although a trend reading fell close to a four-year low, pointing to healing in the still-struggling labor market.

Other data on Thursday showed groundbreaking on new homes fell in July in a reminder of the housing market’s weakness despite some recent signs of recovery.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 366,000, the Labor Department said. That was in line with economists’ forecasts in a Reuters poll.  Read more