Demand for U.S. durable goods rose in a broad number of sectors last month, government data showed on Thursday, hardening bets that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates at least twice more.
New orders for U.S.-made durable goods rose a larger-than-expected 1.3 percent in December and the previous month was revised higher, while non-transportation orders gained 0.9 percent, Commerce Department data showed.
And new claims for jobless aid rose slightly last week to 283,000 but were below forecasts, while a more reliable gauge of employment trends hit a 5-1/2 year low, suggesting further improvement in an already tightening labor market.
