New Jobless Claims Rise

U.S. home resales hit a near one-year low in November and new filings for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, putting a wrinkle in an otherwise brightening economic picture.

The reports on Thursday came a day after the Federal Reserve gave the economy a vote of confidence by announcing that it would reduce its monthly $85 billion bond buying program by $10 billion starting in January.

"Things have not changed. It's still a marginally rosier outlook in the short-term," said Jacob Oubina, senior U.S. economist at RBC Capital Markets in New York.

The National Association of Realtors said sales of previously owned homes fell 4.3 percent last month to an annual rate of 4.90 million units. That was the lowest since December last year and the third straight monthly drop.

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