Thursday Links, Comments and Commentary; Jobless Claims

WSJ Links

Section D (Personal Journal):

• Wow, I wish I could see this, the Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia: A New Beginning, at the Arthur M Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian, Washington, DC (apparently open during the sequester)

Section C (Money & Investing):

• Companies rushing to raise capital; with the surge in the prices of their shares what a great opportunity to raise cash; and such low interest rates as far out as "my" eyes can see; no links; easy to find;

Section B (Marketplace):

• New plan: spin off Time Inc. --  and so it goes....
• US still requires convincing on 787 fix

Section A:

• With Hugo's death comes grief for his socialist allies; no link; stories everywhere; a reader sent this link to DallasNews with their analysis of Hugo's death;
• Push for broader gun checks stall; Democrats lack support of key GOP senator for extending background scrutiny to all firearm sales; Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma; no link; story easy to find
• Immigrants buoy the housing market; the dots are starting to connect; give them driver's licenses and they will buoy the automobile market; 

Jobless Claims

Unemployment Week Ended Initial Claims; 4-Week Avg. Continued Claims; rate (pct)

03/02/13 340,000 348,750 N/A N/A
02/23/13 347,000-r 355,750-r 3,094,000 2.4
02/16/13 366,000 361,750 3,091,000-r 2.4
02/09/13 342,000 352,750 3,165,000 2.5
02/02/13 368,000 351,000 3,137,000 2.4
01/26/13 371,000 352,750 3,244,000 2.5
01/19/13 330,000 351,750 3,216,000 2.5
01/12/13 335,000 360,000 3,175,000 2.5

Reuters is reporting:

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, suggesting a pick-up in the labor market recovery.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 7,000 to a seasonally adjusted 340,000, declining for a second straight week, the Labor Department said on Thursday.

The prior week's claims figure was revised to show 3,000 more applications received than previously reported.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected first-time applications to rise to 355,000.