Latest weekly initial jobless claims total 787,000 vs. 835,000 expected
The number of Americans filing initial weekly jobless claims totaled 787,000 last week, as consumers and businesses continue to navigate restrictive measures amid a rapid increase in coronavirus infections.
After a grueling year of job losses, economists had predicted a total of 835,000 claims for the week ended Dec. 26, an increase from the previous week's revised tally of 806,000.
Despite new vaccines and the passage of a federal emergency aid package, new applications for unemployment benefits remain at four times that of the pre-pandemic average — but well below...