The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits rose marginally last week, suggesting no deterioration in labor market conditions and reinforcing expectations that the Federal Reserve would not cut interest rates next week.

The number of people who applied for U.S. unemployment benefits in mid-January climbed to a six-week high, but a temporary surge in California because of the massive wildfires was one of the chief culprits.

Jobless claims in the U.S. increased slightly last week, while the number of people receiving unemployment benefits reached a three-year high. Despite these figures, overall job growth remains robust,