U.S. jobless claims fall to seven-week low

By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, underscoring the economy's sustained strength. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 280,000 for the week ended Dec. 20, the Labor Department said on Wednesday. It was the lowest reading since Nov. 1 and marked the fourth straight week of declines. "The labor market is tightening up. ...