Weekly U.S. jobless claims rise 15,000 to 381,000 (by Jeffry Bartash)

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The number of Americans who filed requests for jobless benefits rose by 15,000 last week to 381,000, the U.S. Labor Department said Thursday. Claims from two weeks ago were revised up to 366,000 from 364,000. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had projected claims would rise to a seasonally adjusted 374,000 in the week ended Dec. 24. The average of new claims over the past four weeks, meanwhile, dropped by 5,750 to 375,000, which is the lowest level since June 2008. Meanwhile, the Labor Department said continuing claims increased by 34,000 to a seasonally adjusted 3.60 million in the week ended Dec. 17. Continuing claims are reported with a one-week lag. About 7.23 million people received some kind of state or federal benefit in the week ended Dec. 10, up 79,385 from the prior week. Total claims are reported with a two-week lag.

Chicago PMI nearly stable at 62.5 in December (by Steve Goldstein)

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- The Chicago PMI for December dipped 0.1 point to 62.5, a better-than-forecast reading and the 27th month of expansion. Economists polled by MarketWatch had anticipated a 60.0 reading. Readings above 50 indicate expansion. "It appears to be a good close to an up and down year," said one respondent to the survey. "Our backlog remains solid with several new orders still pending," added another.

Pending home sales jump 7.3% in November (by Jeffry Bartash)

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Pending home sales rose 7.3% in November to the highest level in 19 months, according to an industry trade group. The National Association of Realtors said its pending sales index rose to 100.1 in November from a revised 93.3 in October, and it's now 5.9% above its year-ago level. "Housing affordability conditions are at a record high and there is a pent-up demand from buyers who've been on the sidelines, but contract failures have been running unusually high," said Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist. "Some of the increase in pending home sales appears to be from buyers recommitting after an initial contract ran into problems, often with the mortgage." By region, pending home sales rose 14.9% in the West, 8.1% in the Northeast, 4.3% in the South and 3.3% in the Midwest. An index reading of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed. Not all contracts lead to closings.