Hurricane Isaac sends US jobless claims up to 382K

Washington • The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits jumped to the highest level in two months, although the figures were skewed in part by Hurricane Isaac. Applications increased by 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 382,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. That’s up from 367,000 the previous week. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, increased for the fourth straight week to 375,000. Isaac made landfall as Category 1 hurricane on Aug. 28 in southeastern Louisiana and ...