December 15, 2005 8:30 AM, EST

Initial Jobless Claims Rise 1,000 for Week

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he number of U.S. workers filing initial unemployment benefits rose by 1,000 to 329,000 last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

The increase led to a jobless level that was greater than 320,000 predicted by economists, Bloomberg reported.

The number of people out of work from the three big hurricanes fell to 2,500 from 7,700 the previous week, Labor said.

The four-week moving average of claims, a less volatile measure, fell slightly to 322,500 from 322,750 a week earlier, Labor said.

The number of people filing continuing jobless claims rose to 2.606 million for the previous week ended Dec. 3, from a two-month low of 2.585 million a week earlier, Labor said.