Unemployment Filings Fall to Nearly 4-Year Low
Unemployment filings unexpectedly fell to a four-year low last week, indicating that the labor market could be recovering. Other data from this month show solid expansion in factory activity in the Mid-Atlantic area. In January, builders broke more ground on new residential projects, offering more evidence of a sustained momentum in the economy. The reports are the latest in a series of fairly upbeat data. Some think that the positive numbers could prompt economists to further temper expectations of a sharp moderation in growth in the first quarter. Similarly, economists have dialed down their expectations for another round of bond-buying…