First-time claims totaled 1.5 million last week, higher than the 1.3 million that economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been expecting. That was 58,000 lower than the previous week’s 1.566 million, which was revised up by 24,000.

The elevated claims number persists even as all states have reopened to various extents and nonfarm payrolls grew by 2.5 million in May.

Continuing claims, or those who have been receiving unemployment benefits for at least two weeks, nudged lower to 20.5 million, a decline of 62,000 from the previous week.