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June 16, 2005 8:40 AM, EDT

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he number of U.S. workers filing for initial unemployment benefits gained 1,000 to 333,000 for the week ended June 11, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The drop was slightly higher than economists’ forecasts for the rate to hold steady, and claims fell to an average 328,000 this year fro 343,000 for all of last year, Bloomberg reported.

he four-week moving average, a less volatile measure, rose to 335,000 from 332,250.

The number of people filing continuing jobless claims rose to 2.641 million the week ended June 4 from 2.583 million the previous week, Labor said.

The four-week average of continuing claims rose to 2.597 million, from 2.585 million.