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. ALMOST FLAT: Economists forecast that weekly applications rose a slight 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 290,000, according to a survey by the data firm FactSet. Freezing weather and snowstorms recently pushed up the number of people seeking benefits. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, has fallen 9 percent over the past year to 302,500. Weekly applications are a proxy for layoffs. When employers keep their workers, it is generally a sign that ... (full story)