quarter sales. "Higher energy costs and the hurricane are going to put pressure on earnings for some companies," said Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab. "Third-quarter earnings are simply not going to be so stellar as in the past quarter." The price of U.S. light crude was trading in a zigzag pattern after a report showed U.S. gasoline inventories fell less than expected in the first government oil data report after the hurricane. The report also showed that crude oil stocks fell in line with expectations but still stand 13 percent higher than a year ago. Crude was down 67 cents at $63.75 a barrel The government also reported jobless claims for the week ended Sept. 3 fell 1,000 to 319,000 in the latest week, but an upward revision is expected as hurricane-stricken states on the U.S. Gulf Coast process applications. ID:nN08718726 --More 2350 Local Time 2050 GMT
