The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits hit a 26-year high when it increased by 30,000 last week, Reuters reported. Initial claims for state unemployment insurance benefits rose to a seasonally adjusted 586,000 in the week ending Dec. 20, up from a revised 556,000 the previous week. The last time new unemployment claims reached this level was the week ending Nov. 27, 1982.

The Washington Post Co. and The Baltimore Sun, two East Coast newspaper rivals, announced Tuesday that they would start sharing content effective Jan. 1. A joint release from the newspapers said the agreement will be primarily focused on daily news coverage of Maryland and sports. However, the papers will also begin using each other’s national, international and feature stories, which are contributed to the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post news service.

he Mortgage Bankers Association announced today that its application index spiked 48 percent in the week ending Dec. 19 to 1,245.5, the highest level since July 2003, the Associated Press reported. More than 80 percent of applications came from borrowers looking to refinance at more affordable rates. In November, interest rates plunged after the Federal Reserve announced its plans to spend nearly $600 billion buying mortgage-backed securities and other debt issued by government-controlled mortgage finance companies.

Consumer confidence increased slightly this month to a 60.1 rating, up from November’s 55.3, which marked a 28-year low, according to Reuters and the University of Michigan’s monthly survey of consumer confidence. The index was revised up from the preliminary 59.1, which was reported on Dec. 12, but remains substantially lower than the 75.7 reported in December 2007.

Dice Holdings Inc. today announced Scot Melland, chairman, president and CEO, and Michael Durney, senior vice president of finance and CFO, will present on Jan. 6 at the 11th annual Needham Growth stock conference in New York City. The presentation will begin at 1:30 p.m. Iowa time and investors or interested parties may listen live by visiting the company’s Web site, www.diceholdingsinc.com, and click on the link under the investor relations section.

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The Business Record Daily will not publish on Thursday, Dec. 25, in observance of Christmas.