By Geoffrey Smith
- Another 6.61 million American filed initial claims for jobless benefits last week, fresh evidence of the dramatic decline in the economy caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The number was more than the 5.25 million expected but slightly less than the previous week's record number, which was revised up to 6.87 million.
Ongoing claims rose to 7.455 million from 3.059 million a week earlier, the Labor Department said.
