The number of people filing an initial claim for jobless
aid fell last week to its lowest level since early 2001, the Labor Department has reported. This was better-than had been expected.
First-time filings for state unemployment benefits dropped 11,000 to 351,000 in the week ended Nov. 22, the Department said. The decrease brought
claims to their healthiest level since the week of Jan. 20, 2001.