ECONOMY

First-Time Jobless Claims Rise: The number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for jobless benefits shot up by 26,000 last week, the government said in a report seen as the latest sign of slack job growth. “Labor market conditions remain sluggish,” said economist Bruce Steinberg of Merrill Lynch & Co. “Some increase had been expected after the holiday-induced drop of the previous week, but the latest jump was more than expected.” New applications for unemployment insurance totaled 359,000 last week, up from a revised 333,000 during the week ended April 10, the Labor Department said.