Initial jobless claims fall more than expected in past week
Initial jobless claims for the week ended Dec. 14 fell by 22K to 220K, compared with the 229K consensus and 242K prior (unrevised), according to U.S. Department of Labor data released on Thursday. The four-week moving average was 225,000, an increase of 1,250 from the earlier week's unrevised average of 224,250.