ECONOMY

Jobless Claims Shoot Up: First-time claims for unemployment benefits jumped to a nine-month high last week, the Labor Department said. The number of newly laid-off workers applying for unemployment insurance shot up by 20,000 to a seasonally adjusted 371,000, highest since 385,000 during the week ended July 16. The four-week moving average of new weekly jobless claims also jumped to a nine-month high during the period ended April 22. They rose by 7,250 to 351,750, highest since 355,250 during the period ended July 23.