WASHINGTON -- The number of U.S. workers signing up for jobless benefits rose unexpectedly to 322,000 last week, the highest level in two months but still pointing to a steady job market, Labor Department data on Thursday showed.

Economists polled ahead of the report were expecting the weekly claims level to inch down to a seasonally adjusted 313,000 for the week ended Aug. 11, from 316,000 reported the prior week.

Fluctuations are common in this weekly data, particularly in the summer months, and a Labor Department official said there were no special factors linked to the latest increase.

The four-week moving average, considered a better measure of employment conditions because it irons out the weekly gyrations, edged up to 312,500 from 307,750.

Meanwhile, the number of workers remaining on unemployment benefits rose by 17,000 to 2.57 million, for the week ended Aug. 4, the most recent week these data were available. That was slightly higher than the 2.54 million economists were expecting.

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Last week's rise took jobless claims to their highest level since June 16, when claims hit 326,000, the department said. But even with the latest increase, jobless claims have been hovering near the same level — with some fluctuations — for well over a year.

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