Politics: War's Prosperity

Jobless claims shot way up last week.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that new applications for jobless benefits rose by a seasonally adjusted 30,000 to 442,000 for the work week ending April 12.

That increase pushed claims to their highest point since March 29, when claims hit 443,000, the highest level of the year.

For nine straight weeks, claims have been above the 400,000 mark, a level associated with a stagnant job market. Thursday's figures were weaker than economists were expecting.