The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits surged last week, partially boosted by Hurricane Helene and furloughs at Boeing amid a nearly four-week-old strike at the U.S.

In the week through Sept. 28, there were 225,000 initial jobless claims, compared economists expectations of 220,000 initial claims.

Weekly jobless claims climbed higher than expected following the devastation of Hurricane Helene on several states, and economists expect Milton to have further impacts.