New US jobless claims, according to the Department of Labor, they dropped to 350 units in the week ending 22 December, down 12 units from 362 the previous week. Surprised analysts who had expected a much smaller drop, to 361 units. The average of the last four weeks also decreased as a result, from 368 to 356.750 units.
The decline in claims for benefits, which fell to the lowest levels in the last four and a half years, pushes US Treasury prices down, which remain stable on the downside. The ten-year benchmark yields 6/32nds in price for a yield of 1,770%, up 2 basis points compared to yesterday's closing.
