US initial claims for jobless benefits rose by 9,000 last week to a total of 228,000, the US Department of Labor reported today.

This is the highest level of claims since late August, MarketWatch reported. Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal had forecast 225,000 applications for the latest week.

Meanwhile, the four-week moving average of claims rose by 5,000 in the week ended Oct. 8 to a total of 211,500.