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By Jeffry Bartash, Market Watch–

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Initial U.S. jobless claims rose by 10,000 to 268,000 in late June, largely because of the end of the school year. The pace of layoffs nationwide remained extremely low, however.

Economists polled by MarketWatch had forecast new claims to total a seasonally adjusted 265,000 in week stretching from June 19 to June 25.

Most states saw little change, but the number of unadjusted claims rose 13% in California, 58% in New Jersey and 59% in Massachusetts in tandem with the end of the school year. Some personnel such as bus drivers or cafeteria workers can apply for benefits in some circumstances during the summer break.

Still, new claims remained below the key 300,000 mark for the 69th straight week, the longest streak since 1973.

Even though hiring in the U.S. wilted in the early spring, there’s no sign layoffs are starting to rise from the lowest level in decades. Next week, the closely watched June employment report will show whether job creation remains sluggish or is starting to pick up again.

The average of new jobless claims over the past month, meanwhile, was unchanged at 266,750, the Labor Department said Thursday. The less volatile four-week average is seen as a more accurate measure of labor-market trends.

Continuing jobless claims fell by 20,000 to 2.12 million in the week ended June 18. These claims, reported with a one-week delay, reflect people already receiving unemployment checks.