Filings for U.S. unemployment benefits rose more than forecast to an eight-week high, representing a pause in a trend of more muted firings. Jobless claims increased by 12,000 to 282,000 in the week ended Aug. 29, a Labor Department report showed Thursday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey called for 275,000 new applications. The start of a new school year, which differs from state to state, may introduce a period of volatility in the data as such calendar events are difficult to seasonally adjust, according to a Labor Department spokesman. Since the beginning of March claims have held below 300,000, ... (full story)