US DATA: Initial jobless claims -4k to 364k Dec 17 wk when
expectations were for an increase. Prv wk rev up 2k to 368k. Labor
analyst says fairly clean rpt and no states estimated. 4-wk moving ave
-8k to 380,250. NSA for latest wk -17,256 to 418,466. Continuing claims
-79,000 to 3.546 mln. The comparison for the monthly jobs rpt survey wk
show -28k from the Nov 12 392k. The unemp rate for insured down another
tenth to 2.8% SA. Year earlier it was 3.3%. If Congress doesn’t act,
which is likely, phase down of benefits starts Jan 7, then accelerates.