Thursday Is New Jobless Day

Still high.

The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell last week, easing from a 26-year peak, government data showed Thursday, but stayed at levels consistent with a distressed economy.

Jobless claims are still more than 200,000 higher than a year ago. Initial claims for state unemployment insurance benefits fell 21,000, to a seasonally adjusted 554,000 in the week ended Dec. 13 from an upwardly revised 575,000 the previous week, the Labor Department said.