Reuters: Jobless claims fell a steep 21,000 last week

Reuters:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless aid tumbled by 21,000 last week, while the number of people staying on the benefit rolls rose to its highest level in more than two years, a government report on Thursday showed.

First-time claims for state unemployment insurance benefits fell to a seasonally adjusted 336,000 in the week ended December 29, from an upwardly revised 357,000 the prior week, the Labor Department said.

Wall Street economists forecast new claims to drop to 345,000 from the originally reported 349,000 in the week ended December 22.