Unemployment Claims Drop

Decrease of 26,000 from past week. In the week ending Jan. 6, 299,000 people filed claims. This is a substantial decrease of 26,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 325,000.

The 4-week moving average was 314,750, a decrease of 1,750 from the previous week's average of 316,500.

The national employment remained unchanged at 1.9%. But on a regional basis Alaska had a 4.9% rate while Michigan's rate was 4.2% and Wisconsin's was 3.1%.