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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. SMALL DIP: Economists forecast that weekly applications declined 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 281,000, according to a survey by FactSet. If the forecasts are accurate, it would be the seventh straight week of applications below 300,000. Applications below that level are consistent with a healthy job market. Applications are a proxy for layoffs. They plunged three weeks ago to 264,000, the lowest level in 14 years. They have fallen 19 percent in the ... (full story)