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US Unemployment Benefits Preview
The U.S. Labor Department reports on the number of people who applied for unemployment benefits last week. The report will be released Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. INCREASE EXPECTED: Economists forecast that weekly applications rose to 302,000, according to a survey by FactSet. That would be up sharply after jobless claims plunged in the prior week to 284,000, the lowest level in more than eight years. The number of people seeking benefits has steadily dipped toward pre-recession levels over the past three months. Applications are a proxy for layoffs. When employers keep their workers, it suggests potential income ... (full story)