House GOP Blocks Democratic Bid to Extend Jobless Benefits

House Republicans thwarted an expedited effort by Democrats to extend jobless benefits into next year. It cleared by 258-154 but failed to meet the two-thirds majority needed for “fast-track” passage. Two million Americans coul…

Initial Jobless Claims Jump 20,000 to 457,000

In another setback on employment, initial jobless claims jumped a larger than anticipated 20,000 to 457,000, the Labor Department announced Thursday. Economists had predicted initial jobless claims would total 443,000.
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Jobless Claims Fall Marginally as Recovery Sputters Along

New claims fell by 23,000 to 452,000 last week, but that’s offset somewhat by the prior week’s total being revised upward by 13,000. The numbers were a little better than expected, but still not enough to indicate a recovery g…