Jobless claims expected to stay near 26-year high

[December 18, 2008]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Labor Department is expected to report today that new claims for unemployment benefits slipped to 558,000 last week, according to a survey of economists by Thomson Reuters -- but that figure is still near last week's 26-year high of 573,000.

Also today, the Conference Board releases leading indicators for November.

In addition, investors will be analyzing earnings reports due today from such companies as shipper FedEx Corp. and technology bellwether Oracle Corp.

[Associated Press]

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