October 6, 2005 8:40 AM, EDT

Jobless Figures Rise With More Hurricane-Related Claims

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he number of U.S. workers filing initial unemployment benefits rose 21,000 last week to 390,000, the Labor Department said Thursday.

The rise for the week ended Oct. 1 was unexpected, as economists expected about 350,000 total claims, Bloomberg reported.

About 74,000 of last week’s claims were a result of jobless people from Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Katrina, Bloomberg said, citing a Labor Department spokesman, though the official gave no breakdown between the storms.

The four-week moving average of claims, a less volatile measure, rose to 404,500 from 388,750 a week earlier, Labor said.

The number of people filing continuing jobless claims rose to 2.905 million for the previous week ended Sept. 24, from 2.787 million a week earlier, Labor said.