5:43AM PDST JOBLESS REPORT

U.S. weekly initial jobless claims rise 10,000 to 455,000 By Robert Schroeder Last update: 8:30 a.m. EDT Sept. 18, 2008Comments: 2 WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Initial claims for state jobless benefits rose by 10,000 to 455,000 in the week ending Sept. 13 as residents of Louisiana hit by Hurricane Gustav filed for benefits, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week average of initial claims also rose, by 5,000, to 445,000. The number of continuing claims fell to 3.47 million, a drop of 55,000, for the week ending Sept. 6. The four-week average of continuing claims stayed at close to a five-year high, rising by 29,750 to 3.46 million.