Jobless Claims Fall, Import Prices Rise

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The number of laid-off workers filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell for a third straight week, dropping to the lowest level in more than four years, while an energy-driven import price rise offered mixed signals on inflation pressures.


First-time claims for state unemployment insurance aid dropped 2,000 to 302,000 in the week ended Feb. 12, the Labor Department said on Thursday. It was the third straight weekly decline and defied Wall Street expectations for a rise to 315,000.


A separate report showed the price of goods imported to the U.S. rose a higher-than-expected 0.9 percent in January, driven by higher petroleum costs. Wall Street analysts had expected a 0.7 percent rise in import prices after declines in November and December.


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