The Dow Jones industrial average rose for an eighth straight session, its longest unbroken climb since August.

Reports indicated that inflation remained in check and that manufacturing was growing. The government said, however, that first-time claims for unemployment benefits only inched lower.

Renewed concern about economic troubles in Greece kept the gains in check. The country said it might turn to the International Monetary Fund for support if European leaders could not agree to a bailout plan next week.

The number of newly laid-off workers requesting jobless benefits fell slightly last week for the third straight week. But these initial claims for unemployment benefits remain above levels that would signal net job gains.

New claims dropped 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 457,000 in the week ended Saturday, the Labor Department said. That nearly matched analysts' estimates of 455,000, according to Thomson Reuters.

NEW YORK - Major stock indexes ended mixed Thursday on more evidence that the economy is regaining strength at a slow pace.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose for an eighth straight day, its longest unbroken climb since August. The Dow gained 46 points while broader indexes were little changed.

Reports indicated that inflation remains in check and manufacturing is growing. The government said, however, that first-time claims for unemployment benefits only inched lower.

View full sizeMarcio Jose Sanchez, Associated PressDamashata Washington looks for work last week at Work 2 Future, a federally funded job training center in San Jose, Calif. The number of newly laid-off workers requesting unemployment benefits fell last week, the government said today.WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of newly laid-off workers requesting jobless benefits fell slightly last week for the third straight time. But initial claims remain above levels that would signal net job gains.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of workers filing new applications for unemployment benefits fell less than expected last week, while consumer prices were unchanged in February on lower energy prices.

The data on Thursday pointed to a gradual improvement in the labor market and generally muted inflation pressures, which should allow the Federal Reserve to honor its commitment to keep its benchmark interest rate ultra low for a while.

March 17 (Bloomberg) -- The pound strengthened against the dollar, posting its biggest two-day gain in six months, after a report showed U.K. jobless claims unexpectedly dropped in February, stoking speculation the recovery is taking hold.

Sterling climbed to its strongest level since Feb. 25 versus the U.S. currency after the Office for National Statistics said the number of Britons receiving unemployment benefits dropped 32,300 from January. Bank of England policy makers voted unanimously to keep their 200 billion-pound ($307 billion) bond-purchase program on hold for a second month in March, minutes of the March 4 meeting published today showed.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels warned public schools Monday that they will face an "extraordinarily difficult" state budget next year unless the national economy shows significant improvement by then.

Daniels, reviewing the legislative session that ended Saturday, said he expects the federal government will help states like Indiana who've had to borrow money to pay for unemployment benefits. He also told reporters that the state's top priorities will be to stay fiscally solvent and creditworthy over the next 10 months before lawmakers start writing a new state budget.

Amy Newman/The RecordGov. Chris Christie in this January file photo at his office in Trenton.CAMDEN - New Jersey's days as a place where the government is unusually generous to the needy may be up as a new governor pushes wide-ranging spending cuts to solve a deep budget crisis.

Gov. Chris Christie is scheduled to unveil his first spending plan Tuesday after months of preaching shared sacrifice. From what he's done so far, it's clear that applies to lower-income people, too, in a state that's among the most generous in the nation when it comes to unemployment benefits and taxpayer-funded health care for the working poor.

NEW YORK-The dollar eased against the euro and the pound Thursday as Greece announced additional salary cuts and tax hikes to deal with its ballooning deficit, while China reported a jump in inflation.

A steep rise in prices could force China to raise interest rates, which would slow one of the world's fastest-growing economies and thwart a global recovery.

Meanwhile, markets got little direction from mixed U.S. economic news. The government said its trade deficit unexpectedly shrank in January, while the number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits slipped last week.

washington -- the number of newly laid-off workers requesting unemployment benefits slipped last week, the latest sign the employment picture is slowly brightening. the labor department said initial jobless claims fell by 6,000 to a seasonally

WASHINGTON - Legislation to give additional months of unemployment benefits to people who have been out of a job for more than half a year cleared a key hurdle Tuesday that guarantees it will soon pass the Senate.

The sweeping bill also would prevent doctors from absorbing a crippling cut in Medicare payments and extends health-insurance subsidies for the unemployed through December. It would add $132 billion to the budget deficit over the next year and a half.

Legislation blending help for the jobless with popular tax breaks for businesses and individuals is slated to pass the Senate Wednesday over protests from conservatives who say it adds too much to the $12.5 trillion national debt.

But compassion for the jobless and the political power of an annual package of tax breaks is likely to produce a bipartisan vote to pass the measure, even though it would add more than $130 billion to the budget deficit over the next year and a half.

Former House Majority Leader Tom Delay called Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) "brave" on Sunday for launching a one-man filibuster of unemployment benefits, arguing that they dissuaded people from going out and finding work.

Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union," the Texas Republican said that Bunning's fiscal responsibility was commendable, even if his shenanigans (refusing to allow unemployment benefits to be considered by unanimous consent) nearly brought the Senate to a halt.

Obama calls jobs report better than expected

ARLINGTON, Va. — President Barack Obama says the new jobs report 'is actually better than expected.'

A jobs report released Friday said the unemployment rate held at 9.7 percent last month as employers shed 36,000 jobs. Obama blamed snowstorms that buried the East Coast.

Even so, the president said the number of unemployed Americans is 'more than we should tolerate' and pushed Congress to pass a jobs bill for immediate relief.

WASHINGTON -- Two Levins, two chairmanships. Simple as that.

House Democrats made U.S. Rep. Sander Levin of Royal Oak acting chairman of the revenue-raising Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, putting him in the thick of future battles over everything from tax policy and trade rules to unemployment benefits.

The 78-year-old, pro-union Levin said he plans to press forward "vigorously" with the Democratic agenda. Meanwhile, his ascension, taken with his younger brother Carl's chairmanship of the Senate Armed Services Committee, creates what the Christian Science Monitor called "one of the most powerful brother acts in Washington since the Kennedys."

WASHINGTON - A Republican who had been stubbornly blocking a stopgap measure to extend help for the jobless relented yesterday under withering assaults from Democrats and dwindling support within his own party.

The Senate passed the legislation last night 78-19.

Sen. Jim Bunning of Kentucky alone had blocked passage of the $10 billion measure, causing federal furloughs and threatening the unemployment benefits of hundreds of thousands of people. He had hoped to force Democrats to find ways to finance the bill so it wouldn't add to the deficit, but his move sparked a political tempest that subjected Republicans to negative news coverage and cost the party politically.

after sen. jim bunning (r-ky.) ended his standoff on tuesday, the senate approved an extension of unemployment benefits and funding for federal highway projects. about 2,000 transportation department workers were called back to work wednesday

Senate Republicans now are battling publicly with Sen. Jim Bunning to try to force him to relent and allow an extension of unemployment benefits and other government aid that lapsed over the weekend.

Facing a potential backlash over the actions by Mr. Bunning, Kentucky Republican, many of his fellow GOP members are seeking to distance themselves and make clear he's acting on his own.

"I hope that we can act together for the American people," said Sen. Susan Collins, Maine Republican, who on Tuesday tried to force Mr. Bunning's hand. "This issue is so important to senators on both sides of the aisle."

washington-the senate tuesday reached a deal ending sen. jim bunning's blockade of a bill to extend unemployment benefits, following moves by mr. bunning's fellow republicans to distance themselves from the senator. the agreement allowed mr. bunning

for five days, retiring sen. jim bunning held his fellow republicans hostage. he stood his ground, angry and alone, a one-man blockade against unemployment benefits, medicare payments to doctors, satellite tv to rural americans and paychecks