First-time claims for state unemployment benefits rose 6,000 to 327,000 in the week ended Dec. 3, the Labor Department said Thursday. It's the highest level of claims since the week ended Nov. 19. The increase was unexpected. The consensus forecast of Wall Street economists was for claims to inch lower by 2,000 to 318,000. Claims in the previous week were revised to a decrease of 16,000 to 321,000 compared with the initial estimate of a fall of 17,000 to 320,000. The four-week average of initial claims fell 250 to 322,500. Meanwhile, the number of Americans receiving state jobless benefits fell 137,000 to 2.60 million in the week ending Nov. 26. This is the lowest level since the week ended Sept. 3. The four-week moving average of continuing claims fell 46,750 to 2.73 million, the lowest since Sept. 24.