Jobless claims decline in US
The number of unemployment benefit claimants fell in the US for the week ending 11 December, it was announced yesterday. The number of claims totalled 420,000, down from a revised 423,000 the week before, slightly exceeding expectations. There was also an increase in the number of new houses being constructed in November, up to an annual rate of 555,000 – an increase of 3.9 per cent from October’s level of 534,000.