U.S. jobless claims last week fell sharply to the lowest level in four years, a positive sign for the struggling labor market, the government reported Thursday. According to the Labor Department, initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 26,000 to 350,000. That figure, which brought new claims to their lowest level since March 2008, was much sharper than Wall Street analysts had predicted. The prior week's jobless figure was revised slightly up to 376,000 from the previously reported 374,000.
