By Jeffry Bartash WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Applications for U.S. jobless benefits jumped by 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 382,000 in the week ended Sept. 8,, with about half the increase related to tropical storm Isaac, the Labor Department said Thursday. That's the highest level of claims since mid-July. The government said about 9,000 claims stemmed from the storm that passed through the Gulf Coast in late August. Some people could not work because of storm damage, but they did not apply for benefits right away. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch expected claims to rise to 370,000. Initial claims from two weeks ago were revised up to 367,000 from an original reading of 365,000, based on more complete data collected at the state level. The average of new claims over the past month, meanwhile, rose by 3,250 to 375,000, also the highest level since mid-July. The four-week average reduces seasonal volatility in the weekly data and is seen as a more accurate barometer of labor-market trends. Also, Labor said continuing claims decreased by 49,000 to a seasonally adjusted 3.28 million in the week ended Sept. 1. Continuing claims reflect the number of people already receiving regular unemployment insurance. About 5.39 million people received some kind of state or federal benefit in the week ended Aug. 25, down 78,465 from the prior week. Total claims are reported with a two-week lag.

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