U.S. Jobless Claims Fall to 323,000

Hooray! Americans seeking unemployment dropped to 323,000 from 332,000 a week ago, making it the lowest level since October 2007. The four-week average declined 3,000 to 328,500, and economists are forecasting that employers added 177,000 jobs in August, an increase of 15,000 in July alone. And while there are still a large number of Americans unemployed, a private survey released Tuesday indicated factory activity increased in July at the fastest pace in more than two years.