Unemployment claims soar after hurricane

WASHINGTON -- The number of new people signing up for jobless benefits rose last week, reflecting the impact of Hurricane Charley in Florida. The Labor Department reported Thursday that new applications for unemployment insurance increased by a seasonally adjusted 10,000 to 343,000 for the week ending Aug. 21. Half of the 10,000 rise was attributed to claims stemming from the hurricane, a Labor Department analyst said.

Doughnut maker scales back expansion plans

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc., which has been transformed from Wall Street's darling into the bane of carb-conscious consumers, scaled back its expansion plans Thursday after posting second-quarter profits that fell far short of expectations. Shares in the doughnut-maker fell more than 10 percent, a slide that began almost immediately after Krispy Kreme announced that it earned $5.7 million, or 9 cents per share, in the three months ending Aug. 1, compared with $13 million, or 21 cents per share, a year earlier.

-- From wire reports