Initial jobless claims rise 17,000 to 361,000
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- The Labor Department said Thursday that first-time jobless claims rose 17,000 to a seasonally adjusted 361,000 in the week ended Dec. 15, versus a slightly upwardly revised 344,000 in the prior week. That's almost exactly in line with the MarketWatch-compiled economist consensus of 360,000. The four-week average of claims fell 13,750 to 367,750, a two-month low. Continuing claims in the week ending Dec. 8 rose 12,000 to 3.22 million.