WASHINGTON — More people applied for unemployment benefits last week, the first rise in three weeks and evidence that companies are reluctant to hire in a slow economy.

Initial claims for unemployment aid rose by 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 462,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. It was only the second rise in two months.

Jobless claims have been stuck near 450,000 all year. Few employers see much reason to create many jobs, and some are still laying off workers. Rail operator CSX Corp., for example, said Wednesday that it can lengthen its trains to handle rising shipments, reducing its need to hire more employees.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Strong sales gains for dolls including Barbie and Disney Princesses and a tax benefit helped Mattel's 3rd-quarter net income increase 23 percent.But the toymaker's revenue missed expectations on slower international revenue growth and sales declines for Hot Wheels and continued weakness in Fisher-Price sales.Mattel Inc. said Friday that net income rose to $283.3 million, or 77 cents per share. That is a penny above what analysts expected. A tax benefit boosted net income by 5 cents per share. Net income totaled $229.8 million, or 63 cents per share last year.