US weekly jobless claims hit 1.5 million, bringing the 13-week total to 46 million

· US jobless claims for the week that ended Saturday totaled 1.5 million, the Labor Department said Thursday. That slightly exceeded the consensus economist estimate of 1.3 million.
· That brought the 12-week total to 46 million. Thursday's report also marked the 11th straight week of declining claims.
· Continuing claims,...