The Labor Department reports on the number of people who applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week. The report will be released at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Thursday. SLIGHT DROP EXPECTED: Economists expect applications fell 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 328,000, according to a survey by FactSet. That's in line with pre-recession levels, a sign that corporate layoffs have slowed and hiring should be stronger. BENEFITS ENDING: The total number of Americans receiving unemployment checks should plunge in this report. About 1.3 million Americans will be culled from the rolls because of the expiration of a five-year old ... (full story)